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The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

RWC 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