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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

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

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.

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

Larger Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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