Potential harm from an off-putting blowout win when host Australia meets debutant Hong Kong in the opening match of the 2027 Rugby World Cup has been dismissed by World Rugby leader Brett Robinson.
The schedule and times for all 52 matches over 19 match days in seven cities and eight venues were released on yesterday, and social media lit up with criticism when the opening night matchup in Perth on October 1 was revealed.
Many expected the Wallabies to face New Zealand for a blockbuster opening; they are in the same pool for the first time. In 2023, France opened against the All Blacks.
But World Rugby chose the Wallabies to play No 23-ranked Hong Kong, who qualified for the first time as the Asia champion last July. However, Hong Kong spent the autumn conceding 58 points to No 20 Portugal, 59 points to Japan A, and 63 to Australian Super Rugby side the Brumbies.
Robinson didn't believe the matchup would have a negative effect on World Rugby's strategy to expand the game's reach and growth.
He says the whole tournament is going to be full of amazing questions and stories and it is the third biggest (sporting) event in the world as the Kiwis are playing a big match (against Chile) in Perth the next day adding he does not think it is as big an issue as people might want to make of it.
World Rugby head says the pools themselves (are) skewed to having one, possibly two, top-tier nations in them, and inevitably you are going to have some teams that have not played at that level.
He says the pools are this great opportunity where they clearly are going to have teams that are dominating, but also have teams that are aspiring and that is their role as World Rugby, to build and grow a great global game.
Robinson admitted that, to maximise revenue, the Australia-New Zealand game — the biggest in the pool stage — will be at the larger capacity Stadium Australia in Sydney the following weekend on October 9. Most of World Rugby's funds come from the men's World Cup.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson, who had said he would have been happy facing the All Blacks first, was also satisfied with Hong Kong instead.
Wilson says to kick off their campaign against Hong Kong will be special given it is their first time in a World Cup and they always feel incredibly well supported in Perth.
Wilson says New Zealand a week later in Sydney will obviously be a massive occasion.
South Africa, the two-time defending champion, open against Italy on October 3rd in Adelaide.
The first ever knockout round of 16 will be spread across Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. The quarterfinals will be in Brisbane and Sydney, and the semifinals, bronze final and November 13 final in Sydney at Stadium Australia.
Source: Stuff.co
