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England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

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 failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

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

The 2027 tournament will introduce 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 rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.

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