‘Give them inspiration’: Rugby World Cup part of Townsville’s slate of Tests

TOWNSVILLE: Queensland Minister for Sport and Racing Tim Mander has welcomed rugby union’s commitment to the Sunshine State, with four Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 games and another three Wallabies matches forming an unprecedented slate of Tests for the region.

Rugby Australia announced on Thursday that Test rugby would return to the North Queensland region at least three more times between 2027 and 2030, with the Wallabies set to face Argentina twice and Georgia once.

Queensland Country Bank Stadium will host some decisive pool-stage matches during next year’s World Cup, which starts in less than 14 months. Georgia will get a taste of playing in Townsville at the showpiece event, before returning to Queensland in 2029 to play the Wallabies.

Georgia have qualified for their seventh consecutive Men’s Rugby World Cup, and they’ll take on the tournament regulars Romania on October 3. World Cup debutants Hong Kong China and Chile will meet a week later – two teams who are in Pool A with Australia and New Zealand.

Tonga and Zimbabwe play in North Queensland’s third Rugby World Cup match on October 15, before Spain and Canada clash the next day. Townsville hosted three matches at the last World Cup in Australia, including two matches that involved France and/or Japan.

“We are determined to make Queensland the events centre of Australia and also the home of Australian sport. Today’s announcement just adds more fire to those particular goals that we have,” Mander told reporters on Thursday.

“We already know that next year, Townsville will host four World Cup pool games, in the World Cup for rugby, and today we’re making more announcements on a pipeline of games in North Queensland.

“This is showing how important regional Queensland, and particularly North    Queensland, is to sport but to world rugby. We are really pleased with the partnership we’ve developed with Australian rugby as we are trying to wrestle every major sporting event away from the southern states, to have here in Queensland.

“To have elite sport, you’ve got to have junior sport… we want to give them inspiration. We want them to see their role models. We want them to really want to achieve their best in rugby and in sport generally.

“This is great news for North Queensland, great news for Townsville and we’re looking forward to an ongoing relationship with Australian rugby to bring top-class games back to Townsville and North Queensland in the future as well.”

The Wallabies claimed a 2-0 record from their first two matches in Townsville, including a thrilling win over Argentina last year. Angus Bell crashed over for an 85th-minute match-winner, and skipper Harry Wilson confidently turned down the option to kick for a draw.

Les Kiss has taken over from Joe Schmidt as head coach, with the Wallabies starting their new era with a 35-32 triumph over Japan last weekend. But a week later, those two sides will meet once again, this time on a sunny afternoon in Townsville.

“It’s really important. North Queensland are really getting behind their rugby union and the more opportunities to see the Wallabies, Reds and international teams play up here is only going to inspire more kids to play up here,” Wilson told reporters on Friday.

“We know how passionate everyone is up here so it’s just nice to be up here and playing, and it’s always nice to play in Queensland too.”