A blockbuster Trans-Tasman contest between the Wallaroos and Black Ferns will headline the opening day of Rugby World Cup 2021 as World Rugby confirmed the match schedule.
World Rugby, along with hosts New Zealand Rugby, announced the rescheduled event will take place from October 8 - November 12 2022 in Auckland and Whangārei.
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The opening match day will be held at Eden Park, with South Africa v France set to kick-off the tournament, followed by England against Fiji.
This will be followed by the match between New Zealand and Australia at 7:15 pm (local time), with officials hoping for a new attendance record for the tournament.
The Wallaroos will then head to Northland Events Centre on October 15 to face the Final Qualifier Winner, which will be the winner of the Repechage tournament.
They will finish the group stages against Wales on October 22, with the top two teams in each pool and the two best third-placed teams progressing to the quarter-finals.
The first two quarter-finals will take place on Saturday October 29 at Northland Events Centre with Waitakere Stadium hosting the remaining two matches a day later.
Eden Park will host the semi-finals on Saturday November 5 and the bronze final and RWC 2021 final on November 12.
“This is the moment when fans in New Zealand and around the world can start to plan their Rugby World Cup 2021, playing in 2022, experience," World Rugby RWC 2021 Tournament Director Alison Hughes said.
“We have optimised the extended tournament window to enhance player’ and fan experience at Rugby World Cup 2021. Increased rest periods will further boost performance and welfare, while the programme of matches being played at weekends means that fans will not miss a minute of what promises to be an exceptional tournament.”
“I would like to thank New Zealand Rugby for their huge commitment to providing a platform that enables us to showcase the best of the best as they compete for the ultimate prize – to be crowned world champions, while providing an impactful catalyst to supercharge the growth of the women’s game worldwide.”
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Rugby Australia General Manager, Women’s Rugby Jilly Collins added: “Preparations for the 2022 tournament are going well. The team are looking forward to the Test Series against Samoa in July, ahead of further Test matches later in the year that we will be announcing shortly.”
“World Rugby’s decision to include the five-day rest periods into next year’s tournament is welcomed.
"It supports our player welfare principles and will help the Wallaroos better prepare for each Test match.
“In addition, the new schedule allows for all matches to take place on the weekend which will mean bigger live crowds and more fans tuning in from all around the world to watch.”
*All times local/NZT
Saturday, October 8: Wallaroos v New Zealand at Eden Park at 7:15 pm
Saturday, October 15: Final Qualifier v Wallaroos at Northland Events Centre at 3:00 pm
Saturday, October 22: Wallaroos v Wales at Northland Events Centre at 2:15 pm
