SYDNEY — World Rugby boss Alan Gilpin says he has no regrets about overlooking the MCG for the Rugby World Cup 2027 last, after the venue performed host to an iconic and unforgettable Take a look at 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 match, which shall be performed in seven host cities throughout Australia.
The primary seats shall 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 may 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 Take a look at with the Wallabies, discussions naturally turned to final Saturday’s gripping Take a look at on the MCG, which produced one of the crucial 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 section 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 best choice over the vacation spot for the 2027 last, which is able to as a substitute be hosted at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, had been made.
“No, I imply we went by a extremely aggressive [process],” Gilpin stated 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 superb factor right here, and also you guys know this properly, is it is such a aggressive surroundings between states and cities for sports activities content material. And Sydney put their finest foot ahead for that, they we’re a tremendous host of the World Cup semifinals and last in 2003; I had the privilege to be right here then and they are going to be once more in in ’27.
“I believe what we noticed on Saturday is that you already know rugby could make some noise in Melbourne as properly, so we’re trying ahead to Melbourne being a part of that match.
“There is a stadium in Perth that wasn’t even there in 2003 that is superb, so the venue panorama right here is basically distinctive and so we’re enthusiastic about gaining access to these nice venues.”
The MCG initially had robust help at World Rugby stage to host the ultimate on account of its 100,000 capability and its proximity to the town centre, which many Lions followers embraced on Saturday night time by making the 20-minute stroll alongside the Yarra River to the bottom.
But it surely’s understood the Victorian state authorities low-balled its bid amid a tough monetary interval for the state post-COVID, and solely narrowly averted lacking out on a slate of video games altogether by way of some Eleventh-hour discussions earlier than the host cities have been confirmed earlier this yr.
The 90,307-strong crowd for the second Lions Take a look at was handled to an electrifying pyrotechnic show, as was the case at Suncorp Stadium every week earlier, however the ambiance across the MCG throughout the 80 minutes of motion was not like something the opposite venues round Australia can ship.
Melbourne will as a substitute 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 shall be accessible for Rugby World Cup 2027, which shall be unfold from Perth [opening] recreation, 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 shall 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 shall be a million tickets accessible underneath $[AU]100, whereas tickets begin at AUD$40 for adults and youngsters’s tickets shall be accessible from simply $20; the most cost effective ticket to see the Wallabies on residence soil throughout the occasion shall be $100.
