Save articles for later
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.
When the Wallabies lost in the quarter-finals of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, they flew back a day later and players had to pass Australian fans waiting in customs in Perth, about to fly across to South Africa having wanted to watch them play in the semi-finals.
The story goes that one embarrassed Wallaby hid in the toilet to avoid the awkwardness.
The fans have since wised up – most now book tickets for pool games – but the experience certainly didn’t scare Wallabies supporters from making a four-yearly pilgrimage to the Rugby World Cup.
Indeed, Australians continue to be among the most enthusiastic travellers to rugby’s showpiece tournament and a record number are expected to attend the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, which kicked off on Saturday morning with the host nation taking on New Zealand in Paris.
The Wallabies begin their campaign on Sunday morning (2am AEST) against Georgia, also in Paris, and despite Eddie Jones’ side having gone winless so far this year, an estimated 15,000 Australians are still expected to be in France and cheering them on across the two-month tournament.
Wallabies halfback Nic White poses with some fans in France.
For the second consecutive Rugby World Cup, Australians have bought the third-most World Cup tickets for an overseas country, behind England and Ireland.
But despite France being a far longer plane trip than Japan in 2019, group tour agents Gullivers have had a 25 per cent increase in the total size of their supporter group numbers. Tours have been booked out for several years, and many ex-pats are also expected from the UK.
“This is the eighth World Cup I have done and it’s the biggest one yet,” Gullivers official Mike Jones said.
Two factors drove the increased demand for 2023, according to Jones: a post-COVID travel urge and the city of love, Paris.
“We released in early 2021 and the world was fairly uncertain at that point,” he said.
“But when we started getting out of the COVID period and everything started opening up, sales just went berserk, absolutely mad. And that was obviously one of the reasons why, people wanted to get away and travel again. And secondly, France is a unique destination. This time, compared to Japan, there are a lot more couples and women on the tours.
“That’s boosted the numbers, and whereas in Japan, one in three we had (in the tour groups) were women, now it is one in two.”
After several lean seasons, and the return of Eddie Jones at the start of the year, the Wallabies aren’t among the favourites to win in 2023. Jones has picked a young squad to regenerate Australian rugby, and after facing Georgia, the Wallabies will take on Fiji, Wales and Portugal.
Ready for a World Cup party…(from left) Wallabies fans Scott McKellar, Jacqui Yeo, BJ Fergusson, Kerrie McMaster and Stephen Stone in Paris.
Wollongong’s Scott McKellar had booked his trip to France with Gullivers even before godson and Wallabies prop Blake Schoupp was selected from the clouds for this World Cup.
“It’s an amazing feeling knowing I’ll now get to cheer Blake in this first game against Georgia. He’s a guy who will do Australia proud,” McKellar said in Paris.
BJ Fergusson and Jacqui Yeo, both of Dunedoo in the central-west of NSW, and Coolah’s Kerrie McMaster had their love of rugby touring grow from their husbands playing the game together.
“This is my fourth time following the World Cup on a tour. Rugby means lifelong friendships to me. It’s a fresh start for the Wallabies. I don’t yet know all the new faces but they have my support,” schoolteacher-farmer Fergusson said.
Added Yeo: “It’s all about the champagne for me in France.”
McMaster said: “It’s the history and shoes for me. I think there’s a little strategy happening with the Wallabies from Eddie Jones that we haven’t yet seen. I hope the Wallabies do well.”
Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match live, ad-free and on-demand in 4K UHD from September 9.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Most Viewed in Sport
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article