Overview
- France coach Fabien Galthié publicly criticised what he called recurring "arrangements" after questioning why Ireland faced Japan in Australia while France must travel to Japan.
- Fiji's designated home fixtures have been moved to Europe with matches played in Cardiff and scheduled in Liverpool and Edinburgh, leaving the team without local home games.
- World Rugby has defended the relocation of Fiji's matches by citing stadium suitability and audience concerns.
- Organisers have not provided an official explanation for staging the Ireland–Japan match in Australia, a point Galthié specifically highlighted in his remarks.
- The dispute underscores a wider tension between commercial and logistical demands and competitive integrity and may increase calls for clearer venue rules and better communication from tournament organisers as teams continue to travel for later rounds.