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England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very 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 initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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