Fiji's full back Sireli Maqala (right) passes the ball ahead of Portugal's fly-half Jeronimo Portela (left) during the France 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool C match between Fiji and Portugal in Toulouse. Photo credit: AFP.
Source: RNZ Pacific
Tonga will be the first Pacific Island team in action when the Men’s 2027 Rugby World Cup kicks off in October next year.
The schedule for the tournament was released on Tuesday by World Rugby.
Last year, Pacific Island unions Fiji and Tonga told RNZ Pacific they believe the pool draw gives their teams good chances to advance past the first stage of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Fiji is in pool C with Argentina, Spain and Canada.
Samoa is in pool E with France, Japan, and USA, while Tonga is in pool F, alongside England, Wales and Zimbabwe.
Tonga’s campaign starts on Saturday, 2 October against England in Brisbane.
They then play Wales six days later at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium, and round out their pool play against Zimbabwe on 16 October in Townsville.
Samoa’s tournament starts on Sunday, 3 October, playing Japan in Newcastle, before they play the US on the 9th in Perth and then a decent break before facing France in Sydney on 18 October.
Fiji’s 2027 RWC campaign opens against Spain on Monday, 4 October, in Newcastle.
They then play Canada on 10 October and Argentina on 16 October, both at Adelaide Oval.
Kickoffs range from 2:15pm to 11.15pm, New Zealand time.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks will open their campaign with a pool A match against Chile in Perth on Saturday, 2 October.
They then take on hosts the Wallabies in Sydney the following Saturday, with their final pool game against Hong Kong China in Melbourne on Friday 15 October.
They are also likely to meet the Sprinboks in the quarterfinal, in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final.
Twenty-four teams are participating in the World Cup, including the first-ever world meet for Hong Kong/China, and Zimbabwe’s first appearance since 1991.
The final will be played at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Saturday, 13 November.
2027 Rugby World Cup match schedules for Fiji, Samoa and Tonga (all times NZT)
- England v Tonga, 11:15pm 2 October, Brisbane
- Japan v Samoa, 2:15pm 3 October, Newcastle
- Fiji v Spain, 4:15pm 4 October, Newcastle
- Wales v Tonga, 8:15pm 8 October, Melbourne
- USA v Samoa, 5:15pm 9 October, Perth
- Fiji v Canada, 2:45pm 10 October, Adelaide
- Tonga v Zimbabwe, 11:15pm 15 October, Townsville
- Argentina v Fiji, 3:45pm 16 October, Adelaide
- France v Samoa, 9:45pm 18 October, Sydney
