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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 pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 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. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.

Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

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