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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Pool Pairings

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina 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 introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights 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 group winners will play 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