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England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Other Notable Group Pairings

The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

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 Draw Blockbuster Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will take on 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 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face 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 face a team that finished third from the pool stages.

Rugby World Cup 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