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England and Wales will face off in the same pool 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 the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

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

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.

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

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

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

Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor 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 – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

RWC 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