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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Group Draws

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

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

Knockout Ramifications

Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.

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 Major Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

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

RWC 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