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England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid 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 other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

Rugby World Cup 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