Across September and October, 20 of the world’s top rugby nations will head to France in the hopes of leaving the European nation with the title of world champions.
Only four countries have ever had that honour, with New Zealand, Australia, England and South Africa the only teams to have earned the right to host the Webb Ellis Cup aloft.
Interestingly enough, with the draw being made so far in advance of the tournament, it has turned out that the teams currently ranked among the top five in the world all fall on the same side of the draw from the quarterfinals, while Ireland (1), South Africa (3) and Scotland (5) are all in the same pool.
Elsewhere, some nations have received a boost in their talent pools for the tournament thanks to a change in World Rugby eligibility rules, which saw a shorter stand-down period implemented for athletes who have already represented another country at test level; former All Blacks lock Vaea Fifita will take the field for Tonga and ex-Wallabies first five-eighths Christian Leali’ifano is representing Samoa.
The tone will be set from the opening match of the tournament when the All Blacks take on the hosts at Stade de France – the two favourites with the bookmakers getting an early opportunity to make their mark on the event. That will be the first of the 48 matches played across a 51-day period, with the final at the same venue on October 28 local time.
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9
All Blacks 13 France 27
Italy 52 Namibia 8
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10
Ireland 82 Romania 8
Australia 35 Georgia 15
England 27 Argentina 10
Japan 42 Chile 12
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11
South Africa 18 Scotland 3
Wales 32 Fiji 26
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15
France 27 Uruguay 12
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16
All Blacks 71 Namibia 3
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17
Samoa 43 Chile 10
Wales 28 Portugal 8
Ireland 59 Tonga 16
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18
South Africa 70 Romania 0
Australia 15 Fiji 22
England 34 Japan 12
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21
Italy 38 Uruguay 17
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22
France 96 Namibia 0
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23
Argentina 19 Samoa 10
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24
Midnight Georgia v Portugal, Toulouse
4.45am England v Chile, Lille
8am South Africa v Ireland, Saint-Denis
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25
4.45am Scotland v Tonga. Nice
8am Wales v Australia, Lyon
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28
4.45am Uruguay v Namibia, Lyon
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29
8am Japan v Samoa, Toulouse
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 30
8am All Blacks v Italy, Lyon
SUNDAY OCTOBER 1
2am Argentina v Chile, Nantes
4.45am Fiji v Georgia, Bordeaux
8am Scotland v Romania, Lille
MONDAY OCTOBER 2
4.45am Australia v Portugal, Saint-Étienne
8am South Africa v Tonga, Marseille
FRIDAY OCTOBER 6
8am All Blacks v Uruguay, Lyon
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7
8am France v Italy, Lyon
SUNDAY OCTOBER 8
2am Wales v Georgia, Nantes
4.45am England v Samoa, Lille
8am Ireland v Scotland, Saint-Denis
MONDAY OCTOBER 9
Midnight Japan v Argentina, Nantes
4.45am Tonga v Romania, Lille
8am Fiji v Portugal, Toulouse
SUNDAY OCTOBER 14
4am Winner Pool C v RU Pool D, Marseille
8am Winner Pool B v RU Pool A, Saint-Denis
MONDAY OCTOBER 15
4am Winner Pool D v RU Pool C, Marseille
8am Winner Pool A v RU Pool B, Saint-Denis
SATURDAY OCTOBER 21
8am Semifinal 1 - Winner QF 1 v QF 2, Saint-Denis
SUNDAY OCTOBER 22
8am Semifinal 2 - Winner QF 3 v QF 4, Saint-Denis
SATURDAY OCTOBER 28
8am Bronze final, Saint-Denis
SUNDAY OCTOBER 29
8am Final, Saint-Denis
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