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England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.

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

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

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

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.

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

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.

RWC 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