RWC 2027 Australia

[barbarian]

Silly me though, that's assuming the gov actually give a shit about you and not the photo op holding a Wallaby jersey with their name on it...

I don't think that's it. In the case of Barr and Canberra, they are flat stick funding their necessary infrastructure upgrades. Shelling out Government money to get Fiji vs Georgia is politically more risky than, say, a road upgrade.

Not to mention every Canberra rugby fan would forego RWC games for a new stadium in a better location...

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I don't think that's it. In the case of Barr and Canberra, they are flat stick funding their necessary infrastructure upgrades. Shelling out Government money to get Fiji vs Georgia is politically more risky than, say, a road upgrade.

Not to mention every Canberra rugby fan would forego RWC games for a new stadium in a better location...

Good point. I know I'm looking at it from an interstate Rugby fans pov.

New Stadium would be great and putting your hand in your pocket for more events could help justification. Not the whole build it and then we'll figure it out...

 

[stoff]

You'd rather it be spend on local fields and kids participation in anything but they won't do that either down there.

I'm no fan of our state government but to be fair they are building sporting venues where the comm games were to go, are building a rugby centre of excellence and have paid RA plenty of money for tests over the years, including as part of the previous Rebels bail out. They are now doing exactly what they told RA they would do if they axed the Rebels - its probably the only thing they have followed through on that hasn't cost the public billions.

 

[Dctarget]

I'm no fan of our state government but to be fair they are building sporting venues where the comm games were to go, are building a rugby centre of excellence and have paid RA plenty of money for tests over the years, including as part of the previous Rebels bail out. They are now doing exactly what they told RA they would do if they axed the Rebels - its probably the only thing they have followed through on that hasn't cost the public billions.

Yes, Vic Government warned everyone this would happen, this is the repercussions of the Rebels folding. I guess RA thought/hoped they were bluffing.

 

[stoff]

That's beyond doubt Raelene. Rugby travellers are high net worth from some of our most valuable inbound markets - UK/Europe, Japan, NZ.

It's one of the reasons rugby still has the ear of Governments at a State level. They can provide a visitation and spend that our competitors (League, AFL, Football) cannot.

I'd be pretty surprised if the Vic Govt don't pony up for at least a few pool games. With an election coming up I'd think a small investment for that would cover them from a lot of criticism. Rugby isn't a needle mover in Vic but the RWC is a well known international event. If they aren't at the table it's a big miss.

The election is in 2026. The timing of announcing venues, and when the tournament will be held means the election is in clear air from a rugby perspective. You also massively over-estimate how much people will care. As soon as the tennis ends AFL pre-season starts. This is not getting any press.

 

[Wilson]

Yes, Vic Government warned everyone this would happen, this is the repercussions of the Rebels folding. I guess RA thought/hoped they were bluffing.

Hoped they were bluffing maybe, but I think more realistically they realised the Vic government was set to turn that tap off whatever happened to the rebels.

 

[barbarian]

Yes, Vic Government warned everyone this would happen, this is the repercussions of the Rebels folding. I guess RA thought/hoped they were bluffing.

And at a certain point they are a Government, not a jilted ex-partner. They are tasked to bring economic benefit to Victoria, so to pass on the RWC because of what happened with the Rebels seems to me to be cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

[barbarian]

The election is in 2026. The timing of announcing venues, and when the tournament will be held means the election is in clear air from a rugby perspective. You also massively over-estimate how much people will care. As soon as the tennis ends AFL pre-season starts. This is not getting any press.

That's true. Not claiming it's a massive vote shifter. But if I were in Vic Government I'd be mindful of the narrative that Victoria is becoming less hospitable to major events. Comm Games, Women's World Cup, now this.

 

[Strewthcobber]

What direction did all of this go?

Visit Victoria had it's budget cut in mid-2024. Presumably RA has been discussing support of major events through las year, and they know the outlook is not that great

Were the Rebels cut as a result of forecast cut in future spending out of the Vic Government, or the other way around?

 

[Slim 293]

I think it's as simple as World Rugby are asking for significant fees for hosting, and the Vic Govt is broke with the Rebels axing just a convenient excuse to firm their position.

But it sounds like it's still an ongoing negotiation and I would assume Melbourne will come out of it with some pool games.

 

[Slim 293]

Were the Rebels cut as a result of forecast cut in future spending out of the Vic Government, or the other way around?

I'd say their axing was the sole result of trading insolvent and large ATO tax debts.

 

[barbarian]

I'd say their axing was the sole result of trading insolvent and large ATO tax debts.

Don't forget over a decade of dismal on-field results!

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'd say their axing was the sole result of trading insolvent and large ATO tax debts.

You aren't wrong, but we've been here before

August 16, 2017 - A $20 million package from the Victorian government to the ARU, securing Bledisloe Cup and British and Irish Lions Test matches in Melbourne over an eight-to-10-year period, guaranteed the future of the Rebels in the SANZAAR competition.

The $20 million deal that punted the Western Force out of Super Rugby

A $20m package from the Victorian Government to the ARU, securing Bledisloe Cup and British and Irish Lions test matches in Melbourne over an eight to ten year period, guaranteed the future of the Rebels in the SANZAAR competition.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Slim 293]

From Payto in the SMH…

The host cities for the 2027 Rugby World Cup will be revealed later this week in Sydney, which gives up the poorly-held secret that Accor Stadium will host the final and two semi-finals, as it did in 2003.

Perth’s Optus Stadium bid for the final too but it will host the opening game instead, and may host some quarter-finals, too. Early on, the Victorian government pushed hard for the MCG to host the final and semis, but after an initial bid that was lower than NSW’s anyway, the Vics withdrew altogether. Politically, it was tied to the Rebels exit but had more to do with a cut-back on major event spending.


The folly of having no games at all was recently realised, however, and the Victorian government has been in 11th-hour talks with World Rugby about salvaging a deal to play some pool games and possibly two quarter-finals. Whether it’s too late remains to be seen - early last week no deal had been reached, and other states were keen to take extra games.

There will be games all over Australia, but it appears Canberra won’t have any, with the ACT government electing to not submit a bid.

That final paragraph is not accurate though as the ACT did bid for games, but if they are missing out is likely due to them not coming into an agreement on the cost.

 

[Slim 293]

Canberra is set to be overlooked as a host city for the Rugby World Cup after the ACT government failed to strike an 11th-hour deal with tournament officials to host one of the world's biggest sporting events.

Venues are set to be unveiled this week with Sydney expected to host major fixtures, while Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Newcastle have all but been confirmed as venues for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

But Canberra is poised to miss out after the ACT government and tournament officials failed to broker a deal with more than two years' worth of negotiations finishing in a stalemate.

...

Tournament officials and the territory government ultimately failed to settle on a price tag for World Cup fixtures, after the ACT's political power brokers lodged a bid for a four-game package almost 18 months ago.

Pocock calls out 'lack of vision' as Canberra misses out on Rugby World Cup

Canberra will not host games during the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

www.canberratimes.com.au

 

[Wilson]

Pocock calls out 'lack of vision' as Canberra misses out on Rugby World Cup

Canberra will not host games during the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

www.canberratimes.com.au

Some interesting quotes in that article:

ACT government officials are adamant they will remain in the conversation for marquee sporting events, deciding to target one-off Wallabies fixtures - and funnel support for rugby union into the ACT Brumbies - instead of World Cup games featuring minnow nations.
...
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr used a heated question time debate in September 2023 to declare, partly tongue-in-cheek: "I couldn't look rugby supporters in the eye and say 'I let the Brumbies fail, but by the way, we've got North Korea versus Russia in the Rugby World Cup'."

Not sure what support he's talking about when the Brumbies have already effectively folded back into RA, but you'd hope to see something specific and substantial eventuate soon to offset missing out on world cup games. Still, it feels like the most efficient and effective solution to both was the new stadium everyone has been crying out for.

 

[Adam84]

Sport funding in ACT is quite bizarre, wont pay money to upgrade stadiums but will directly sponsor professional sporting teams with sizeable ongoing annual grants

 

[Slim 293]

They're probably due for another feasibility study... and then determine, again, that they're just going to rebuild at Bruce.

By which time they actually do it it's going to cost them a fuckload more than if they had gone ahead and built something years ago.

 

[KOB1987]

It must be very frustrating for you Canberrans.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

They're probably due for another feasibility study... and then determine, again, that they're just going to rebuild at Bruce.

By which time they actually do it it's going to cost them a fuckload more than if they had gone ahead and built something years ago.

There are a lot of consultants walking around looking for work atm.