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England and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Pool Draws

Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.

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

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.

This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.

While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

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