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The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Group Pairings

The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.

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

Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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