The 2023 Rugby World Cup gets under way on 8 September with France taking on New Zealand in a mouth-watering curtain-raiser in Paris.
The All Blacks arrive as favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for what would be a record fourth time, having just won the Rugby Championship in convincing fashion. But hosts France can be sensational on their day and it is set to be the perfect showdown to kickstart the seven-week tournament.
The fixture schedule sees Six Nations champions Ireland, Eddie Jones’ struggling Australia and England all get their campaigns under way the following day, with Steve Borthwick’s side undertaking a tricky assignment of facing in-form Argentina in Marseille, in what is likely to be a decisive Pool D match.
Reigning world champions South Africa and Scotland face off in the same city the following day in Pool B, before Wales begin their tournament against Fiji in Bordeaux.
What are the pools?
- Pool A: France, New Zealand, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia.
- Pool B: South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Romania.
- Pool C: Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal.
- Pool D: England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Chile.
GROUP STAGE
Friday, September 8
Pool A: France vs. New Zealand – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9:15p.m. local / 5:15am AEST / 8:15pm UK)
Saturday, September 9
Pool A: Italy vs. Namibia – (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint Etienne; 1p.m. local / 9p.m. AEST / 12p.m. UK)
Pool B: Ireland vs. Romania – (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux; 3:30p.m. local/ 9:30p.m. AEST / 2:30p.m. UK)
Pool C: Australia vs. Georgia – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 6p.m. local / 2a.m. AEST / 5p.m. UK)
Pool D: England vs. Argentina – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST, 8p.m. UK)
Sunday, September 10 Pool D: Japan vs. Chile – (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse; 1p.m. local / 9p.m. AEST / 12p.m. UK)
Pool B: South Africa vs. Scotland – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool C: Wales vs. Fiji – (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Thursday, September 14
Pool A: France vs. Uruguay – (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Friday, September 15
Pool A: New Zealand vs. Namibia – (Stadium de Toulouse; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Saturday, September 16
Pool D: Samoa vs. Chile – (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux; 3p.m. local / 11p.m. AEST / 2p.m. UK)
Pool C: Wales vs. Portugal – (Stade de Nice, Nice; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45pm UK)
Pool B: Ireland vs. Tonga – (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST/ 8p.m. UK)
Sunday, September 17
Pool B: South Africa vs. Romania – (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux; 3p.m. local / 11p.m. AEST / 2p.m. UK)
Pool C: Australia vs. Fiji – (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool D: England vs. Japan – (Stade de Nice, Nice; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Wednesday, September 20
Pool A: Italy vs. Uruguay – (Stade de Nice, Nice; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45p.m. UK)
Thursday, September 21
Pool A: France vs. Namibia – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Friday, September 22
Pool D: Argentina vs. Samoa – (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45a.m. UK)
Saturday, September 23
Pool C: Georgia vs. Portugal – (Stade de Toulouse, Toulouse; 2p.m. local / 10p.m. AEST / 1p.m. UK)
Pool D: England vs. Chile – (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool B: South Africa vs. Ireland – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST/ 8p.m. UK)
Sunday, September 24
Pool B: Scotland vs. Tonga – (Stade de Nice, Nice; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool C: Wales vs. Australia – (OL Stadium, Lyon; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Wednesday September 27
Pool A: Uruguay vs. Namibia – (OL Stadium, Lyon; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45p.m. UK)
Thursday, September 28
Pool D: Japan vs. Samoa – (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Friday, September 29
Pool A: New Zealand vs. Italy – (OL Stadium, Lyon; 9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Saturday, September 30
Pool D: Argentina vs. Chile – (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes; 3p.m. local / 11p.m. AEST / 2p.m. UK)
Pool C: Fiji vs. Georgia – (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux; 5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool B: Scotland vs. Romania – (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEST / 8p.m. UK)
Sunday, October 1
Pool C: Australia vs. Portugal – (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne; 5:45p.m. local / 2:45am AEDT / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool B: South Africa vs. Tonga – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Thursday, October 5
Pool A: New Zealand vs. Uruguay – (OL Stadium, Lyon; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Friday, October 6
Pool A: France vs. Italy – (OL Stadium, Lyon; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Saturday, October 7
Pool C: Wales vs. Georgia – (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes; 3p.m. local / 12am AEDT / 2p.m. UK)
Pool D: England vs. Samoa – (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille; 5:45p.m. local / 2:45a.m. AEDT / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool B: Ireland vs. Scotland – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Sunday, October 8 Pool D: Japan vs. Argentina – (Stade de la Beajoire, Nantes; 1p.m. local / 9p.m. AEDT / 3p.m. UK)
Pool B: Tonga vs. Romania – (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille; 5:45p.m. local / 2:45a.m. AEDT / 4:45p.m. UK)
Pool C: Fiji vs. Portugal – (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
BRACKET – QUARTERFINALS
Saturday, Oct. 14
Quarterfinal 1: Winner Pool C vs. Runner-up Pool D – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 5p.m. local / 2a.m. AEDT / 4p.m. UK)
Quarterfinal 2: Winner Pool B vs. Runner-up Pool A – (Stade de France Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Sunday, Oct. 15
Quarterfinal 3: Winner Pool D vs. Runner-up Pool C – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 5 p.m. local / 2a.m. AEDT / 4p.m. UK)
Quarterfinal 4: Winner Pool A vs. Runner-up Pool B – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9 p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
BRACKET – SEMIFINALS
Friday, Oct.20
Semifinal 1: Winner quarterfinal 1 vs. Winner quarterfinal 2 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT / 8 p.m. UK)
Saturday, Oct. 21
Semifinal 2: Winner quarterfinal 3 vs. Winner quarterfinal 4 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
BRACKET – THIRD PLACE
Friday, Oct. 27 Runner-up semifinal 1 vs. Runner-up semifinal 2 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
BRACKET – FINAL
Saturday, Oct. 28 Winner semifinal 1 vs. Winner semifinal 2 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT/ 8p.m. UK)
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