Australia-Hong Kong mismatch to open 2027 Rugby World Cup

[AP Photo]

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 yesterday, and social media lit up with criticism when the opening night matchup in Perth on Oct. 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.

“I don’t think so. I mean, the whole tournament is going to be full of amazing questions and stories and it’s the third biggest (sporting) event in the world,” he said. “The Kiwis are playing a big match (against Chile) in Perth the next day. I don’t think it’s as big an issue as people might want to make of it.

“The pools themselves (are) skewed to having one, possibly two, top-tier nations in them, and inevitably you’re going to have some teams that haven’t played at that level. But that’s the whole point, isn’t it? That’s why we do what we do.

“The pools are this great opportunity where we clearly are going to have teams that are dominating. But we also have teams that are aspiring. And that’s our role as World Rugby, is to build and grow our great global game.”

Robinson admitted that, to maximize 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 Oct. 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.

“To kick off our campaign against Hong Kong will be special given it’s their first time in a World Cup and we always feel incredibly well supported in Perth,” Wilson said. “New Zealand a week later in Sydney will obviously be a massive occasion.”

South Africa, the two-time defending champion, open against Italy on Oct. 3 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 Nov. 13 final in Sydney at Stadium Australia. MDT/AP