Newcastle is set to host four fixtures at next year’s “home” Rugby World Cup (RWC), even though Australia won’t feature in any of them.
The draw for the eagerly-anticipated 2027 event was unveiled on Tuesday 3 February, with the Wallabies facing Hong Kong, New Zealand and Chile in the group stage.
And, while Novocastrians will miss the chance to catch the “green and gold” in action, they’ll have the opportunity to see the likes of Japan, Samoa, Fiji, Spain, Uruguay, Portugal, Italy and Georgia at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Japan and Samoa are slated to meet on Sunday 3 October from 12.15pm.
Twenty-four hours later, Pool C combatants Fiji and Spain go head-to-head.
Uruguay eyes off Portugal in Newcastle on Monday 11 October (5.15pm), while Italy and Georgia lock horns on Sunday 17 October (12.15pm).
Meanwhile, Australia kicks off its campaign against minnows Hong Kong.
World Rugby chair Brett Robinson conceded it would be polarising for the Wallabies to play their first clash in Perth.
Hong Kong is 23rd in the global rankings and making its RWC debut.
“Clearly people will have different opinions and the sides will have different opinions, but we’ve landed where we’ve landed,” Robinson said.
“For me, the pools are this great opportunity where, clearly, we are going to have teams that are dominating, but we also have teams that are aspiring.
“That’s our role as World Rugby, to build and grow our great global game.”
For the first time, the RWC will feature a round-of-16 stage, with the top two sides in each group to advance, as well as four of the six that place third.
Should Australia place second in its pool, it’ll face the Pool F runners-up – one of England, Wales, Tonga and Zimbabwe – for their maiden knockout clash.
Win their pool and the Wallabies would tackle the third-placed team from Pool C, E or F in the round of 16.
Australian legend John Eales said the groundwork for the nation’s charge at a first World Cup win since 1999 started with the Super Rugby Pacific season that begins next week.
“The work initially has to be about how well you perform in Super Rugby,” the two-time RWC-winning lock said.
“Because that gives you the right to be selected to play the Test matches this year, which gives you the right to put your best foot forward in front of the selectors (at the World Cup).
“That’s where it has to start, that mentality to not just turn off one week and turn on the other.”
- With AAP
2027 RUGBY WORLD CUP PARTICIPANTS
- 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
For more sports stories:
- McKinnon, Ryan to boost Knights’ pathways program
- GALLERY… Historic weekend pushed to background as Jets face tough time on the road
- Doing it by half: The Newcastle production line that slowed
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