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

This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Tournament Ramifications

If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.

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

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

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

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