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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their famous 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 shock early exit.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each 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 are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

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

Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

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

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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