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England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

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

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.

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

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

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