Wallabies vs All Blacks 2027 opener seen as “must-have” fixture
Wallabies vs All Blacks 2027 opener talk has intensified after former Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie urged organisers to make the trans-Tasman clash the first act of the tournament in Perth. He believes the event risks losing Australian interest early if the home side starts their campaign against one of the pool’s lower-ranked teams.
The draw for the expanded 2027 World Cup was released quietly in Sydney last week, confirming Australia and New Zealand in the same group. What remains unknown is the fixture list, which won’t be made public until 3 February 2026.
Even without the schedule, debate has taken off. South Africa and New Zealand — ranked one and two in the world and winners of seven of the past ten tournaments — are projected to collide in a quarterfinal. England, ranked third, could also see themselves meeting Australia in the same round, reviving memories of their dramatic 2003 triumph in Sydney.
McKenzie, who lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 1991 and later coached under Eddie Jones in 2003, wants World Rugby to ensure the tournament opens with genuine impact.
“I cannot believe that we would not be starting with the Wallabies playing New Zealand in Perth as the first game,” he said on the Rugby Unity podcast. “If you want to hook people into the tournament, that’s the game. Australia and New Zealand, a big crowd, a big stadium — that’s how you start a World Cup.”
His concern is straightforward: with Chile and Hong Kong China also in Pool A, an opening blowout in a 60,000-seat Perth stadium would do little to spark national excitement. The expanded format — six pools of four and a new round of 16 — reduces the chance of a “pool of death” and increases the likelihood of uneven contests early on.
Recent tournaments show the value of strong openers. In 2023, France beat the All Blacks on opening night, yet New Zealand still reached the final. Back in 1991, England opened against New Zealand, lost, and still made the decider.
One argument for placing the Australia–New Zealand fixture deeper in the pool rounds is crowd size. Should the MCG be free of its potential NFL commitments, it could draw 100,000 supporters — a spectacle unmatched anywhere else in the tournament.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson has already said he wants the All Blacks first-up, but World Rugby’s tournament director, Chris Stanley, says the decision won’t be rushed.
“There are a number of factors,” he said. “We look at crowd sizes, the best locations for each match, and not just the opener. We’ll announce everything on February 3.”
Stanley also noted that interest across Pool A is part of the equation. Scheduling the match later could maintain momentum over a longer stretch of the group phase.
“There’s more to it than stadium size,” he added. “We look at where communities live across the country, the broadcast windows, and how each match fits into the bigger picture. Big venues matter, but they’re not the only factor.”
The debate over the Wallabies vs All Blacks 2027 opener is already shaping the build-up to the tournament — and the final schedule announcement may prove one of World Rugby’s most influential decisions ahead of the event.
