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England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.

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

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

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

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

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

A total of four of the other 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