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England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Implications

If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.

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

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

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

Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although 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 second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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