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The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

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

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

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

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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