The RWC 2027 schedule is here, and Australia’s fixture list is an absolute blockbuster. The Wallabies will kick off their Rugby World Cup 2027 campaign against Hong Kong China in Perth on 1st October, before the tournament’s most anticipated pool clash — Australia versus New Zealand at the 82,000-capacity Accor Stadium in Sydney on 9th October.
RWC 2027 Pool Clash: Wallabies vs All Blacks Set to Ignite Accor Stadium
Tournament organisers have made no secret of their intentions here. Staging the first-ever Wallabies-All Blacks World Cup pool meeting at one of rugby’s great arenas is a statement of intent. Furthermore, the stakes could hardly be higher — the winner of that match in Sydney appears likely to face two-time defending champions South Africa in the quarterfinals. That is not a fixture you want to walk into cold.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson, speaking in Sydney on Tuesday, acknowledged the schedule is a proper challenge — but welcomed it. “First game in Perth, it’s super exciting. And then a week later, you’re facing New Zealand in Sydney. I think it’s a great result and a great way to start the World Cup,” Wilson said. He also admitted he “jumped the gun a bit” when he declared the All Blacks clash would open the tournament after December’s pool draw — but agreed that avoiding the Kiwis in game one was probably an advantage. “There’ll be a lot of nerves at a World Cup, and not playing New Zealand first game might help us build momentum,” he added.
Notably, this will be the third meeting between the two sides in a matter of months, with home-and-away Rugby Championship fixtures preceding the World Cup. History, however, rarely matters once the Webb Ellis Trophy is on the line.
World Rugby Chairman Backs Tournament Format Amid Concerns
Meanwhile, World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson used Tuesday’s announcement to push back against suggestions that a heavy Wallabies victory over Hong Kong China — making their debut on rugby’s biggest stage — could damage the tournament’s image. “The whole tournament is going to be full of amazing questions and stories, and it’s the third biggest sporting event in the world,” Robinson told reporters. “I don’t think it’s as big an issue as people might want to make.” World Rugby expanded the tournament to 24 teams, meaning the 36 pool games spread across 17 days will run across three Friday-to-Monday windows.
Australia’s pool phase wraps up against Chile in Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on 16th October. That same venue hosts England versus Wales on the same date — a Pool F showdown that needs no introduction. Over in Perth, Scotland and Ireland renew a rivalry that has now appeared at three consecutive World Cups, squaring off at the 62,000-capacity Optus Stadium on Sunday 10th October. In Adelaide, South Africa begin their bid for a third Webb Ellis Trophy against Italy, while Argentina and Fiji light up Pool C in the South Australian capital.
The pool phase reaches its climax on a “Super Sunday” — 17th October — featuring five matches, starting at 12:15pm AEDT with Italy versus Georgia in Adelaide and closing with South Africa versus Romania in Perth. BBC Sport will be among those tracking every twist as RWC 2027 builds towards what could be the most explosive pool stage in tournament history.