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Ireland to face Wallabies in Rugby World Cup warm-up in 2027

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 28: An aerial image of GIO Stadium during the round three Super Rugby match between ACT Brumbies and Auckland Blues at GIO Stadium, on February 28, 2026, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Stuart Walmsley/Getty Images)
Ireland will face the Wallabies at GIO Stadium in Canberra ahead of the Rugby World Cup next year

Ireland will take on the Wallabies in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up game in 2027, just over two weeks out from their tournament opener.

The sides will meet at GIO Stadium in Canberra in what will be Australia's first Test in the nation's capital for 10 years.

While the IRFU are yet to confirm the rest of Ireland's slate of warm-up games ahead of the 2027 World Cup, Rugby Australia have announced they will host Andy Farrell's side at the home of the Brumbies, on 18 September, just over two weeks out from Ireland's opening match of the tournament.

"You always want to play against the best and for a number of years now, for a long time really, they've always been in that top echelon of sides," Wallabies full-back Tom Wright said.

"With Joe [Schmidt, Wallabies coach] coming from there into our system, you're seeing the fruits that we've been able to take from him and even just seeing some of the way that they play, you can see the system that he instilled there.

"If we're able to leapfrog off that game here at GIO [Stadium], that'll be super exciting for the squad that goes into the World Cup."

Ireland begin their 2027 World Cup pool D campaign against Portugal in Sydney on Monday, 5 October before facing Scotland in Perth on Sunday, 10 October, and finishing the pool against Uruguay on Sunday, 17 October in Melbourne.

Ireland have never played a Test match in ACT, but the game could potentially be a homecoming of sorts for two of Andy Farrell's squad, with Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen both born Canberra natives.

"It'll be good to see Mack [Hansen] back. He's had a pretty arsey run of injuries in the last sort of 12 months or so," Wright added of his former Brumbies team-mate.

"We obviously saw him come out for the Lions, but hobbling around on one foot, the poor bugger, so if we get to lace up against him, I know a lot of the guys, in particular, from the Brums training room, enjoy that challenge.

"There's plenty of [chat] from him so if we get the chance, we might try and shut that from him."

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