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England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six pool 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