SYDNEY — World Rugby boss Alan Gilpin says he has no regrets about overlooking the MCG for the Rugby World Cup 2027 ultimate, after the venue performed host to an iconic and unforgettable Check between the Wallabies and British and Irish Lions final Saturday.
Gilpin joined his chairman, Brett Robinson, Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh and a bunch of different dignitaries to assist unveil the ticketing plans for the 2027 event, which will probably be performed in seven host cities throughout Australia.
The primary seats will probably be accessible by way of 2027 “Superfan” passes which is able to give these lucky sufficient to land one the chance to buy 4 tickets for whichever of the 52 video games they like, restricted of 52 tickets. They are going to go on sale subsequent month, whereas a broader presale will start in February 2026.
However with the Lions on the town forward of the third Check with the Wallabies, discussions naturally turned to final Saturday’s gripping Check on the MCG, which produced probably the most controversial finishes in worldwide rugby historical past.
The drama and pressure created by the overview of Jac Morgan’s clean-out, which got here one part earlier than Hugo Keenan’s series-sealing attempt for the Lions, rounded out a rare night inside one of many nice colosseums in world sport and had followers questioning whether or not the correct determination over the vacation spot for the 2027 ultimate, which is able to as an alternative be hosted at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, had been made.
“No, I imply we went by a very aggressive [process],” Gilpin mentioned when requested whether or not the sport had missed a trick by not taking the ultimate to the MCG, the place 90,307 folks had turned out on the weekend.
“I imply the wonderful factor right here, and also you guys know this effectively, is it is such a aggressive setting between states and cities for sports activities content material. And Sydney put their greatest foot ahead for that, they we’re an incredible host of the World Cup semifinals and ultimate in 2003; I had the privilege to be right here then and they are going to be once more in in ’27.
“I feel what we noticed on Saturday is that you already know rugby could make some noise in Melbourne as effectively, so we’re wanting ahead to Melbourne being a part of that event.
“There is a stadium in Perth that wasn’t even there in 2003 that is wonderful, so the venue panorama right here is basically distinctive and so we’re enthusiastic about having access to these nice venues.”
The MCG initially had sturdy help at World Rugby degree to host the ultimate as a result of its 100,000 capability and its proximity to the town centre, which many Lions followers embraced on Saturday evening by making the 20-minute stroll alongside the Yarra River to the bottom.
Nevertheless it’s understood the Victorian state authorities low-balled its bid amid a troublesome monetary interval for the state post-COVID, and solely narrowly prevented lacking out on a slate of video games altogether by way of some Eleventh-hour discussions earlier than the host cities had been confirmed earlier this 12 months.
The 90,307-strong crowd for the second Lions Check was handled to an electrifying pyrotechnic show, as was the case at Suncorp Stadium per week earlier, however the environment across the MCG throughout the 80 minutes of motion was in contrast to something the opposite venues round Australia can ship.
Melbourne will as an alternative must make do with seven pool matches and two round-of-16 video games, although it’s unclear at this stage whether or not they are going to be staged at AAMI Park [30,000 capacity], Marvel Stadium [53,000] or the MCG.
Regardless, greater than 2.5 million tickets will probably be accessible for Rugby World Cup 2027, which will probably be unfold from Perth [opening] sport, by Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Townsville, Newcastle and Sydney [final].
Whereas Rugby Australia [RA] doesn’t set solely the worth for tickets to the occasion, the native organizing physique will probably be joyful to not be slammed for pricing out folks of all incomes, an accusation that has been levelled at RA for the Lions’ six-week tour.
There will probably be a million tickets accessible underneath $[AU]100, whereas tickets begin at AUD$40 for adults and kids’s tickets will probably be accessible from simply $20; the most cost effective ticket to see the Wallabies on house soil throughout the occasion will probably be $100.
