Stephen Larkham takes issue with Canberra's World Cup snub

ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is disappointed for Canberran rugby union fans after the nation’s capital was snubbed from hosting matches at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Larkham joined a chorus of former Wallaby legends in voicing dismay over the decision, with the game’s leadership criticised for failing to nurture rugby in its most successful region in Australia.

Despite the Brumbies’ record as Australia’s most successful Super Rugby side in recent years, Canberra was overlooked as a host city by World Rugby.

Men’s RWC Australia 2027 Host Cities | RP

The host cities for the Men’s RWC Australia 2027 have now officially been announced.

Men’s RWC Australia 2027 Host Cities | RP

The host cities for the Men’s RWC Australia 2027 have now officially been announced.

Meanwhile, cities without clubs in the competition, including Newcastle, Townsville and Adelaide, were given at least four games each.

The move follows years of falling attendance at rugby union matches in Canberra and more than a decade of unfulfilled promises to replace the city’s aging stadium.

Larkham was a mainstay of the Wallabies when Australia last hosted the World Cup in 2003, which included four matches in Canberra.

“From our perspective, we’ve got a lot of really passionate supporters, and (it’s) disappointing for them not to have that ability to watch a game here in Canberra,” he told reporters on Friday.

“We would have loved to have had a game to showcase the game at the top level.”

Former Brumby Matt Giteau, who also featured in the Wallabies’ unsuccessful 2003 home Rugby World Cup campaign, was dumbfounded.

“How can Canberra not get one game for RWC 2027?? This can’t be accurate surely?” he wrote on X.

“Growth of the game down here is as crucial as it is around the country IMO.”

World Rugby chair Brett Robinson, who captained the Brumbies in their inaugural Super Rugby season, cited Canberra’s lack of a competitive stadium as a barrier to its inclusion as a host city.

“It’s disappointing that we haven’t got the stadium (in Canberra),” said Robinson, who captained the ACT Brumbies in their inaugural Super Rugby season.

“Playing at home in Canberra is a wonderful place to play the game. It’s just we haven’t got the facilities really for a tournament of this scale, which is a big disappointment.”

Former Wallaby and current ACT senator David Pocock chastised the Territory government for failing to support sport in the region.

“We have some of the highest community sports participation rates in the country, and we’re consistently missing out on actually having world-class events and having millions of people actually watching sport,” he told ABC Radio.

“It’s no surprise we’re the least known capital.”

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr was “philosophical” about the decision to bypass Canberra.

He claims his government offered World Rugby $10 million to host four matches, including ticket and hospitality revenue.

“The Territory’s long-standing support of Rugby, exemplified through our three-decade-long investment in the Brumbies, totalling well over $100m in today’s dollars, was clearly not a strong consideration for tournament organisers,” he said.

“The Territory has maintained support for the Brumbies despite the significant uncertainty the team has faced in recent years, and they will remain our first priority for investing in professional rugby content in the ACT.”

The ACT government is still working on plans to build a new 30,000 seat stadium near the existing site in Bruce.