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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

If 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 championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

RWC 2027 Draw

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