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The 2027 World Cup will get off to a low-key start with Australia kicking off against Hong Kong after the organisers opted against beginning the tournament with the Wallabies’ blockbuster pool fixture against New Zealand. When Australia were drawn in the same pool as their arch-rivals in December it was widely expected that such a mouth-watering fixture would raise the curtain on the tournament.
But with the first match taking place on Australia’s west coast in Perth on 1 October, organisers have opted to pit Hong Kong – competing at their first World Cup – against the Wallabies in what is sure to be a one-sided affair. The opening weekend of the tournament features just one fixture involving two tier one nations – South Africa against Italy.
Australia’s fixture against the All Blacks will take place on the second weekend of the tournament in Sydney where a bigger stadium will maximise exposure.
England, meanwhile, will begin their campaign in Brisbane against Tonga on Saturday 2 October before locking horns with Zimbabwe – appearing at the World Cup for the first time since 1991 – in Adelaide on Friday 8 October and finishing their pool stage campaign against Wales in Sydney on Saturday 16 October. Should they progress as expected, Borthwick’s side will have to crisscross Australia with a last-16 trip to Perth on the cards where they could face Italy.
Borthwick is planning a reconnaissance mission to Australia but with the Rugby Football Union’s performance operations manager, Charlotte Gibbons, seconded to last year’s British & Irish Lions tour, the head coach believes England will leave no stone unturned in their preparations.
“With the clarity from this announcement, we can also now start our own planning, to ensure we arrive in Australia ready to perform at our best,” he said. “Being based across Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney gives us the opportunity to play in three outstanding stadiums in a country rich in rugby and World Cup history.”
Wales will begin their campaign against Zimbabwe, Scotland start against Uruguay and Ireland open up against Portugal. Ireland will face Scotland in Perth on 10 October.
The 2027 World Cup is the first to feature 24 teams after the decision to expand the tournament and will include what is being billed as “Super Sunday”, with five fixtures taking place on 17 October. The schedule has been designed to be “weekend focused” to maximise global impact and attendance, with three blocks of 12 matches from Friday to Monday in the pool stages before the round of 16. The first tickets are available from 18 February.
“We’ve assembled the most compelling match schedule to date, carefully designed to balance player welfare, fan experience and global reach,” said the World Rugby chair, Brett Robinson.
