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England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.

Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups

Pool A

• New Zealand
• Australia
• Chile
• Hong Kong

Pool B

• South Africa
• Italy
• Georgia
• Romania

Pool C

• Argentina
• Fiji
• Spain
• Canada

Pool D

• Ireland
• Scotland
• Uruguay
• Portugal

Pool E

• France
• Japan
• USA
• Samoa

Pool F

• England
• Wales
• Tonga
• Zimbabwe