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The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Face Major Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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