2027 Rugby World Cup: Fans dismayed by Perth opener but organisers back in Wallabies’ clash with Hong Kong

Perth rugby fans have bemoaned organisers’ decision to kibosh a potential Rugby World Cup opener between Australia and New Zealand at Optus Stadium, with minnows Hong Kong to instead face the Wallabies. While organisers have defended the decision, local rugby fans are feeling let down after the prospect of a once-in-a-lifetime Wallabies-All Blacks World Cup game in Perth was knocked on the head. Australia will open their first home Rugby World Cup since 2003 against debutants and third-lowest-ranked participant Hong Kong on October 1 next year, despite previous indications the opener would be a blockbuster. Optus Stadium will host seven matches in total across the tournament, including four other pool matches and two round-of-16 games. New Zealand will play Chile in Perth the day after the opening match, USA and Samoa face off out west and South Africa will meet Romania in WA, while arguably the pick of the Optus Stadium slate is Ireland vs Scotland. One round-of-16 game would likely involve South Africa, and the other could see England and Italy play each other. But with the Group A clash between Australia and New Zealand to be played in Sydney, long-time Western Force fan Marc Jones told The West Australian he was heartbroken by what he deemed to be a poor choice for the opener. “They could offer me front row seats, to where you could literally walk on the field, I would literally toss them in the bin,” he said. “I’ve already made my mind up. I’m going to boycott the opening game. There’s no way I’m going. I won’t even watch it at the pub. It’s not even worth it. “It’s heartbreaking as a Wallabies fan.” While most fans on social media were happy with the calibre of teams coming to Perth, there was a similar sentiment from them towards the nature of the opening game. Even the All Blacks poked fun at the decision in a now-deleted social media post which appeared to feature a mocked-up graphic announcing their involvement in the opening game with the caption “we thought we had the script...”. World Rugby chair Brett Robinson said last January the opening game was “ordinarily, the pick of the matches”, but Rugby World Cup 2027 managing director Chris Stanley told The West Australian the opening match at previous tournaments had varied in strength. “We looked at all sorts of matches, all the Wallabies matches, for the opening match. But as tournament organisers, we were really keen, it’s a really good narrative, exciting to have a debutant playing in the opening match,” Stanley said. “There’s a great link into Asia, all the expats, there’s a great diaspora living in Perth. I won’t say it was an easy decision: none of the match scheduling is an easy decision.” Former Wallabies captain and Rugby World Cup 2027 board member Phil Kearns said Perth punters were not being short-changed by the low-profile, tournament-opening game, pointing to the heavyweights locked into other WA games. “You don’t need to hype it up, because it’s the opening match of a Rugby World Cup tournament, and they’re always a massive, global event,” Kearns said. “Everyone will watch the opening match, regardless of where you are in the world. To downplay it is the wrong way to see it. I think it is a massive positive for WA and for the Hong Kong China team and for the Wallabies to play. “I don’t think they (fans) are short-changed. The South Africans are coming here. The New Zealanders are coming here. “England will be here, if seedings go to plan, and you’ve got Scotland and Ireland. The powerhouses of world rugby are all playing here in WA.”