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England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

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

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