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England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Group Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.

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

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

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

Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

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

While the victor 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 – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.

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