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England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.

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

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

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

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.

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

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of 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