Could Sydney stage the first indoor Rugby World Cup final in 2027?

Australia winning hosting duties of the 2027 Rugby World Cup could be the impetus for the NSW government to put a $120 million retractable roof on Accor Stadium at Homebush – and potentially stage the first indoor Rugby World Cup final.

That’s the reno project being pushed by Rugby Australia’s high-powered 2027 World Cup bid team, at least, to have the former Olympic stadium in the sort of shape needed to host its second unforgettable World Cup final.

Accor Stadium is one of three venues in Australia that could host a Rugby World Cup final.Credit: Getty

Barring disaster, the 2027 Rugby World Cup will be awarded to Australia next month and it is expected World Rugby and Rugby Australia will settle on venues for the group stage and the finals by early 2023. Three venues qualify as big enough for the grand final: Accor Stadium, the MCG and Optus Stadium in Perth.

World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin and other officials toured venues around Australia last week. They were wooed at Adelaide Oval by new South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas during the AFLW grand final, and even kicked a blasphemous Sherrin on Optus Stadium in Perth.

Many believe Accor Stadium is favourite given it is the only rectangular stadium but sources say World Rugby is open to playing the final on an oval – Japan had a few – and the wider entertainment precinct is a big consideration, too.

Lote Tuqiri beats England’s Jason Robinson to the ball, resulting in Australia’s first try of the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.Credit: Dallas Kilponen

Behind the scenes, the NSW government is being urged to put its best foot forward by modernising Accor Stadium; namely pushing the button on the mooted installation of a retractable roof, and replacing the old seats. The roof has been discussed as a possibility for a year and has plenty of backers in NSW major events circles.

A spokesperson for Stuart Ayres, the NSW Minister for Tourism and Sport, said: “The NSW government warmly welcomed World Rugby’s announcement that Australia is the preferred candidate to host Rugby World Cup 2027.

“The NSW government is working with Rugby Australia as part of the Rugby World Cup 2027 Host Cities and Venues Selection Process to secure a significant package of tournament matches for Sydney and Regional NSW, including Sydney as the host for the final.”

A Thorn in Rennie’s side? Hardly

This week’s explosive coaching developments took many by surprise. Is Dave Rennie going somewhere anytime soon?

No. At least, not unless the Wallabies bomb badly against England and deteriorate further in the Rugby Championship.

Everyone who matters – including fans – seem happy with where Rennie is taking the team. He will coach through until next year’s World Cup and beyond if the Wallabies go deep.

Reds coach Brad Thorn, Wallabies coach Dave Rennie and Brumbies coach Dan McKellar.Credit: Getty

But the succession planning has been under way for some time and take it as read Dan McKellar is considered the logical option to succeed Rennie.

Queensland coach Brad Thorn’s declaration of his candidacy felt out of the blue, but it wasn’t. He is off contract at the end of next year, which means the Reds will be talking to him now about his future. Until recently, even the QRU top brass were unsure which country, and which code, Thorn considered his natural, long-term home.

When he told them he could see himself coaching the Wallabies next, not the All Blacks or the Broncos, it was a pivotal moment for both parties. Saying it out loud was the logical next step and Rugby Australia would do well to welcome his interest as a positive – if spicy – turn of events, not a threat to their master plan.

Battle of the sexes and sevens

Australian women’s sevens team coach Tim Walsh was known for his quirky methods before taking the team to an Olympic gold medal in 2016. He once failed to turn up to a game, would steal unattended boots and had star Charlotte Caslick fake an injury while warming up for a friendly against Japan, a month out from the Games. Caslick was so convincing some teammates were holding back tears.

Sharni Williams launches an attacking raid during a training contest between the Australian sevens team and the Churchie first XV.Credit: Andrew Phan/RugbyAU

Walsh, who switched to the men’s team but is now back coaching the women, rolled back the clock on Thursday by having his team do a semi-opposed session against the Churchie school 1st XV at Easts Rugby Club in Brisbane. Walsh was keen to have his team tested against fast, light-footed players and students fitted the bill. Up against professional athletes, however, onlookers said the boys were ‘run ragged’ by the end of the 90-minute session.

The radical shake-up of the Australian sevens programs after the disappointment of the Tokyo Olympic has been paying dividends, with the men’s and women’s teams both showing great form in the early tournaments.

Eddie’s next move

Phil Kearns hit the nail on the head when he said it could be time to bring home Eddie Jones.

After consecutive poor Six Nations campaigns and yet more scrutiny of his harsh leadership style, the acerbic Australian coach is on the nose in a big way in England and will almost certainly be farewelled after next year’s tournament.

Eddie Jones should be brought back to Australia after 2023, reckons Phil Kearns.Credit: Andrew Boyers, AAP

He has been plotting his next move for some time, but Kearns believes it could be time for his old Randwick teammate to head back down under.

“Eddie is a really good bloke and an amazing coach. I think Eddie would be fabulous in dealing with the rugby youth of our nation, the up-and-coming players,” Kearns said.

“I think he builds resilience in players. He’s not easy with them and I think we all know that. He’s tough.

“He demands excellence and that can only be good for players on the way through. I think it would be awesome if Eddie had a role in the future of Australian rugby.”

For many years the mention of Jones’s name among some administrators and former players would elicit a negative reaction, but Kearns believes the 62-year-old has moved with the times.

“I think even Eddie has acknowledged publicly there were times that he could have done things a little bit differently,” he said.

“When you’re 60 you’re a better man-manager than when you were 50 and when you’re 50 you’re better than you were when you were 40. We’ve made the mistake in Australian rugby of appointing coaches that really haven’t been ready for that job, when it’s about man management really.

“I think those [broken] bridges should well and truly be rebuilt and pave the way for Eddie to come back in some role.“

Bring on the old enemy

England’s three-Test tour is shaping up as a pivotal gauge on rugby’s cut-through in the Australian landscape and, if the early indications are anything to go by, the July series will be a hit with fans.

In Brisbane, where the Wallabies will play their second Test against the Poms at Suncorp Stadium, a reciprocal ticket offering to Gabba members was swamped with interest.

With each member permitted to buy up to four tickets, the Gabba’s back-office team had to resort to a random draw, telling members “the ticket offering was well and truly over-subscribed, generating hundreds of applications”.

Tickets to the three Tests – in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney – go on sale on April 28. We hear the Rugby Australia marketing pigeons are cooking up some fun merchandise in the form of Bobby helmets in a deep and true shade of Wallaby gold.

Crosby, thrills and dash

Phil Kearns joined Lote Tuqiri and former Wallaroo Annette Finch at Brothers Rugby club on Wednesday to mark one month to go until the World Rugby meeting at which Australia should be awarded hosting rights to the 2027 World Cup.

The usually clear-eyed former Test hooker-turned-bid boss looked wistful wandering onto Crosby Park and with good reason. The last time he was there was in 1988, when he was Randwick’s second-choice hooker behind Eddie Jones and the Galloping Greens romped it home 27-9 at the 1988 Australian Club Championship.

Though Kearnsy didn’t make it off the bench, he remembered the line-up, and what a line-up it was. Among many heroes, local and international, here are the highlights: Eddie Jones (called Ed Jones back in the day) and Ewen McKenzie in the front row, Simon Poidevin and Michael Cheika in the back row, Lloyd Walker at five-eighth, Gary Ella at outside centre and David Campese and Acura Niuqila on the wings.

“With a few exceptions, that team was the one that played the All Blacks a few months later,” Kearns said.

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