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The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their memorable clash 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.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

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

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed 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 rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third 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