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England and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Tournament Ramifications

If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups

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