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England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

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

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six group 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