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England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

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

Australia 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, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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