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England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both 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 knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

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

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