The world’s best teams, nine match venues, 55 days of incredible action: Welcome to Rugby World Cup France 2023. The tournament will be a huge occasion, the chance to celebrate 200 years since the birth of the sport, and the best 20 teams in the world will come together for a festival of the very best rugby to decide who will be crowned World Champions.
The Rugby World Cup 2023 full draw has taken place this morning, live from the Brongniart Palace with England handed a tough pool.
Twelve countries have automatically qualified for the next edition of the World Cup based on their top-three placings in each of the four pools at last year’s tournament.
EDITORS PICKS:
- All Black legend Dan Carter ranks his five toughest opponents
- The current 36-man Lions squad, according to the bookies
- Piers Morgan picks his all-time greatest rugby XV
- Every Premiership club’s best player out of contract in 2021
The first band of countries is: South Africa [defending champions], beaten finalists England, third-place winners New Zealand and losers of that bronze medal match, Wales.
The second group of countries contains Ireland, Australia, France and Japan, while the third group sees Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy lumped together.
One team from each band will randomly be drawn into each pool.
Rugby World Cup 2023 full draw
- Pool A: New Zealand, France, Italy, America 1, Africa 1
- Pool B: South Africa Ireland, Scotland, Asia/Pacific 1, Europe 2
- Pool C: Wales, Australia, Fiji, Europe 1, Final qualifier
- Pool D: England, Japan, Argentina, Oceania 1, America 2
JOIN THE RUCK:
An England XV for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
15. Josh Hodge
- Current number of caps: 0
- Age at the start of RWC 2023: 23
One of England’s most exciting upcoming talents, the fullback is built in the same mould as All Black Damian Mckenzie. Safe under the high ball and blessed with incredible pace, expect him to play a key role for Newcastle Falcons in the Championship this season before returning to the Premiership ready to make a bid for international honours.
14. Joe Cokanasiga
- Current number of caps: 9
- Age at the start of RWC 2023: 25
Eddie Jones summed up what Joe Cokanasiga brings to the party when asked about his first inclusion in the England set up back in 2017. ‘He’s big and he’s fast,’ said the England coach. He’s not wrong and we expect him to be hitting his peak in 2023..
13. Joe Marchant
- Current number of caps: 3
- Age at the start of RWC 2023: 27
A black belt in karate and also a former England schools finalist in gymnastics which would suggest the centre is blessed with power and poise! Has been involved in Eddie Jones’s squad in the build-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup and is someone we’d expect to step up heading into the 2020 Six Nations and beyond.
12.Owen Farrell
- Current number of caps: 83
- Age at the start of RWC 2023: 32
Will be one of the sides elder statesmen, captaining the squad at a second straight Rugby World Cup. Will be the goalkicker, allowing the talented Marcus Smith to run the show from 10.
11. Ollie Thorley
- Current number of caps: 1
- Age at the start of RWC 2023: 27
A World Rugby U20 Championship winner in 2016, Thorley has pace, power and an eye for the try line. Was unlucky not to be considered for the 2019 squad but if he continues to score lots of tries and constantly improves he could be a key player for England in four years time.
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The 2023 Rugby World Cup is being staged in France [Getty Images]
Rugby World Cup Fixtures
The 2023 Rugby World Cup runs from Friday 8 September to Saturday 28 October, with matches played across France.
South Africa will defend their title after beating England 32-12 in the 2019 final in Japan. Eddie Jones will want to claim the trophy before he bows out as England’s boss, but hosts France and three-time winners New Zealand will fancy their chances too.
Romania have replaced Spain in Pool B after the latter’s appeal against their disqualification was dismissed in June 2022. Spain fielded an ineligible player during qualification.
Namibia secured their place at a seventh successive World Cup by beating Kenya 36-0 in the final of the Rugby Africa Cup in Aix-en-Provence. They take their place in Pool A.
Chile will compete at their first-ever Rugby World Cup after beating the USA over two legs to qualify as Americas Two and take the final spot in Pool D, while Tonga completed Pool B by beating Hong Kong 44-22 in the Asia Pacific One play-off.
There is just one place left at RWC 2023. It will be decided at the Final Qualification Tournament involving Hong Kong, Kenya, Portugal and the USA due to take place in late 2022.
POOL A – New Zealand, France, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia
Fri 8 Sept France v New Zealand [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sat 9 Sept Italy v Namibia [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Thu 14 Sept France v Uruguay [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Fri 15 Sept New Zealand v Namibia [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Wed 20 Sept Italy v Uruguay [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Thu 21 Sept France v Namibia [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Wed 27 Sept Uruguay v Namibia [Parc OL, Lyon]
Fri 29 Sept New Zealand v Italy [Parc OL, Lyon]
Thu 5 Oct New Zealand v Uruguay [Parc OL, Lyon]
Fri 6 Oct France v Italy [Parc OL, Lyon]
POOL B – South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Romania, Tonga
Sat 9 Sept Ireland v Romania [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sun 10 Sept South Africa v Scotland [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sat 16 Sept Ireland v Tonga [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Sun 17 Sept South Africa v Romania [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sat 23 Sept South Africa v Ireland [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 24 Sept Scotland v Tonga [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Sat 30 Sept Scotland v Romania [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Sun 1 Oct South Africa v Tonga [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sat 7 Oct Ireland v Scotland [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 8 Oct Tonga v Romania [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
POOL C – Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Final qualification winner
Sat 9 Sept Australia v Georgia [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 10 Sept Wales v Fiji [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sat 16 Sept Wales v Final qualification winner [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Sun 17 Sept Australia v Fiji [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Sat 23 Sept Georgia v Final qualification winner [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Sun 24 Sept Wales v Australia [Parc OL, Lyon]
Sat 30 Sept Fiji v Georgia [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sun 1 Oct Australia v Final qualification winner [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Sat 7 Oct Wales v Georgia [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Sun 8 Oct Fiji v Final qualification winner [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
POOL D – England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Chile
Sat 9 Sept England v Argentina [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sun 10 Sept Japan v Chile [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Sat 16 Sept Samoa v Chile [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sun 17 Sept England v Japan [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Fri 22 Sept Argentina v Samoa [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Sat 23 Sept England v Chile [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Thu 28 Sept Japan v Samoa [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Sat 30 Sept Argentina v Chile [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Sat 7 Oct England v Samoa [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Sun 8 Oct Japan v Argentina [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Quarter-finals
Sat 14 Oct Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sat 14 Oct Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 15 Oct Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sun 15 Oct Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Semi-finals
Fri 20 Oct Winner Quarter-final 1 v Winner Quarter-final 2 [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sat 21 Oct Winner Quarter-final 3 v Winner Quarter-final 4 [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Third-place match
Fri 27 Oct Third-place Play-off [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Final
Sat 28 Oct Final [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Rugby World Cup 2019 Results
POOL A
Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa
Fri 20 Sep Japan 30-10 Russia [Tokyo] Match report
Sun 22 Sep Ireland 27-3 Scotland [Yokohama] Match Report
Tue 24 Sep Russia 9-34 Samoa [Kumagaya] Match Report
Sat 28 Sep Japan 19-12 Ireland [Shizuoka] Match Report
Mon 30 Sep Scotland 34-0 Samoa [Kobe], Match Report
Thu 3 Oct Ireland 35-0 Russia [Kobe], Match Report
Sat 5 Oct Japan 38-19 Samoa [Toyota] Match Report
Wed 9 Oct Scotland 61-0 Russia [Shizuoka] Match Report
Sat 12 Oct Ireland 47-5 Samoa [Fukuoka] Match Report
Sun 13 Oct Japan 28-21 Scotland [Yokohama] Match Report
POOL B
New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada
Sat 21 Sep New Zealand 23-13 South Africa [Yokohama] Match report
Sun 22 Sep Italy 47-22 Namibia [Osaka] Match Report
Thu 26 Sept Italy 48-7 Canada [Fukuoka] Match report
Sat 28 Sep South Africa 57-3 Namibia [Toyota] Match report
Wed 2 Oct New Zealand 63-0 Canada [Oita] Match Report
Fri 4 Oct South Africa 49-3 Italy [Shizuoka] Match Report
Sun 6 Oct New Zealand 71-9 Namibia [Tokyo] Match report
Tue 8 Oct South Africa 66-7 Canada [Kobe], Match Report
Sat 12 Oct New Zealand 0-0 Italy [Toyota], Match cancelled – click here for story
Sun 13 Oct Namibia 0-0 Canada [Kamaishi], Match cancelled – click here for story
POOL C
England, France, Argentina, USA, Tonga
Sat 21 Sep France 23-21 Argentina [Tokyo] Match report
Sun 22 Sep England 35-3 Tonga [Sapporo] Match report
Thu 26 Sep England 45-7 USA [Kobe] Match Report
Sat 28 Sep Argentina 28-12 Tonga [Osaka], Match Report
Wed 2 Oct France 33-9 USA [Fukuoka], Match Report
Sat 5 Oct England 39-10 Argentina [Tokyo] Match Report
Sun 6 Oct France 23-21 Tonga [Kumamoto] Match report
Wed 9 Oct Argentina 47-17 USA [Kumagaya] Match Report
Sat 12 Oct England 0-0 France [Yokohama], Match cancelled – click here for story
Sun 13 Oct USA 19-31 Tonga [Osaka] Match report
POOL D
Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay
Sat 21 Sep Australia 39-21 Fiji [Sapporo] Match report
Mon 23 Sep Wales 43-14 Georgia [Toyota] Match report
Wed 25 Sep Fiji 27-30 Uruguay [Kamaishi] Match report
Sun 29 Sep Georgia 33-7 Uruguay [Kumagaya] Match Report
Sun 29 Sep Australia 25-29 Wales [Tokyo] Match report
Thu 3 Oct Georgia 10-45 Fiji [Osaka], Match Report
Sat 5 Oct Australia 45-10 Uruguay [Oita] Match report
Wed 9 Oct Wales 29-17 Fiji [Oita] Match Report
Fri 11 Oct Australia 27-8 Georgia [Shizuoka] Match Report
Sun 13 Oct Wales 35-13 Uruguay [Kumamoto] Match Report
KNOCKOUT STAGES
Sat 19 Oct QF1 England 40-16 Australia [Oita] Match Report
Sat 19 Oct QF2 New Zealand 46-14 Ireland [Tokyo] Match Report
Sun 20 Oct QF3 Wales 20-19 France [Oita] Match Report
Sun 20 Oct QF4 Japan 3-26 South Africa [Tokyo] Match Report
Sat 26 Oct England 19-7 New Zealand [Yokohama] Match Report
Sun 27 Oct Wales 16-19 South Africa [Yokohama] Match Report
Fri 1 Nov Third-place Play-off New Zealand 40-17 Wales [Tokyo] Match Report
Sat 2 Nov RWC 2019 Final England 12-32 South Africa [Yokohama] Match Report
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