Rugby Union World Cup 2023: The Ultimate Guide

The Rugby Union World Cup 2023 will kick off on September 8, as the best international teams in the sport descend on France. The tournament will be played over the course of seven weeks, with a group stage starting off the event before the knockout phase.

France will host the tournament for the third time. The French have never won the tournament before. Could this year’s event see the hosts lift the Webb Ellis Cup? Only four teams have won the Webb Ellis Cup in the nine previous editions of the Rugby Union World Cup. Will a new nation win it in 2023?

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Introduction to Rugby Union World Cup 2023

The Rugby Union World Cup was the first global competition in the sport. It sought to unite the different union organisations around the globe and deliver a first-class event for players, coaches, and fans.

The inaugural Rugby Union World Cup took place in 1987. Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the event, with 16 national teams competing for glory. New Zealand won the final, defeating France 29-9. Since then, the World Cup has taken place every four years, crowning the best international rugby union team.

New Zealand are the most successful team in the tournament’s history. The All Blacks have won three Webb Ellis Cups. New Zealand’s most recent tournament triumph was in 2015. Only four teams have won the World Cup previously.

The 2023 edition of the event is the first to occur post-COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament will be a celebration of the sport and its return after the problems the world faced in 2020 and 2021.

France are aiming to make an impact on the tournament in more ways than one. France were one of three nations that bid to host the tournament, along with South Africa and Ireland.

The country’s transport infrastructure and large multi-use stadiums should make this a very successful event. Bookmakers have France as the favourite to win the World Cup before it kicks off. The French are favourites thanks to playing on home soil. France have lost three previous World Cup final matches.

Twenty teams will compete in this year’s tournament. The teams include:

• New Zealand
• France
• Italy
• Uruguay
• Namibia
• South Africa
• Ireland
• Scotland
• Tonga
• Romania
• Wales
• Australia
• Fiji
• Portugal
• England
• Japan
• Argentina
• Chile
• Samoa
• Georgia

Road to Rugby Union World Cup 2023

The road to the Rugby Union World Cup 2023 was a long and winding one. The qualification process saw 34 teams competing for one of the available places in the tournament finals. Twelve teams from the 2019 edition of the Rugby Union World Cup automatically qualified for this year’s event thanks to their performances four years ago. Only eight places were up for grabs during the qualification process.

Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifying began on 5 June 2021. The qualification process saw teams from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania fighting for a place in France 2023. Tonga qualified in the Asian/Pacific playoff by defeating Hong Kong. Portugal also qualified in the qualification tournament. The Portuguese qualified due to point difference over the United States after the two nations ended on 12 points apiece.

Portugal secured a dramatic 16-16 draw against the Americans in the final regional qualification match to see progression to the tournament finals. A second-half stoppage time penalty allowed Portugal to draw the match and eventually move ahead of the Yanks on goal difference.

The qualification process also saw Georgia, Romania, Namibia, Samoa, Uruguay, and Chile progress to the finals. Although traditional rugby fans may believe these teams are just in France to make up the numbers, the eight qualifying teams will hope to make waves in the competition.

Rugby Union World Cup 2023 Host Country

France will host the Rugby Union World Cup 2023. This year’s event will be France’s third time hosting the Rugby Union World Cup. France co-hosted the 1991 tournament along with England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. In 2007, France played host to the tournament once more. France are the only country to host the Rugby Union World Cup on three occasions.

Nine cities were selected to host matches. France’s major cities will hold fixtures, although Paris was technically omitted from the final list of cities. The final of the tournament will take place in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, rather than in the centre of the capital. Along with hosting the final, the Stade de France will play host to the third-place bronze final on October 27 and the two semifinals on October 20 and October 21. By the time the final occurs, the pitch at the Stade de France could be in poor condition. Additional cities hosting games include Marseille, Lyon, and Bordeaux.

Rugby Union World Cup 2023 Format

The Rugby World Cup 2023 will feature 20 international teams split into four groups of five. Each team will play four group phase matches, and the top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout phase.

In addition to qualifying for the next phase, those 10 teams will automatically qualify for the next Rugby Union World Cup. The 10 teams to qualify for the next round will play knockout rugby, with games taking place every six days.

Pool A

• New Zealand
• France
• Italy
• Uruguay
• Namibia

Pool B

• Ireland

• South Africa

• Scotland

• Tonga

• Romania

  Pool C

• Australia

• Wales

• Fiji

• Georgia

• Portugal

Pool D

• England
• Japan
• Argentina
• Samoa
• ChileGroup D may be the weakest on paper going into the tournament. It features England, Argentina, Japan, Samoa, and Chile. On paper, England should top the group, with Samoa, Argentina, and Japan fighting for second.

The tournament will start on September 8 and finish with the final on October 28. Here are the key dates for France 2023.

• Pool Play: September 8 to October 8
• Quarterfinals: October 14 and October 15
• Semifinals: October 20 and October 21
• Third-place playoff/Bronze final: October 27
• Final: October 28

Rugby Union World Cup 2023 Schedule

Here is the schedule for all games of the Union World Cup 2023:

FRIDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER

FRANCE v NEW ZEALAND

SATURDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER

• ITALY vs NAMIBIA
• IRELAND vs ROMANIA
• AUSTRALIA vs GEORGIA
• ENGLAND vs ARGENTINA

SUNDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER

• JAPAN vs CHILE
• SOUTH AFRICA vs SCOTLAND
• WALES vs FIJI

THURSDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER

FRANCE vs URUGUAY

FRIDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER

NEW ZEALAND vs NAMIBIA

SATURDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER

• SAMOA vs CHILE
• WALES vs FINAL QUALIFIER WINNER
• IRELAND vs TONGA

SUNDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER

• SOUTH AFRICA vs ROMANIA
• AUSTRALIA vs FIJI
• ENGLAND vs JAPAN

WEDNESDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER

ITALY vs URUGUAY

THURSDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER

FRANCE vs NAMIBIA

FRIDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER

ARGENTINA vs SAMOA

SATURDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER

• GEORGIA vs FINAL QUALIFIER WINNER
• ENGLAND vs CHILE
• SOUTH AFRICA vs IRELAND

SUNDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER

• SCOTLAND vs TONGA
• WALES vs AUSTRALIA

WEDNESDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER

URUGUAY vs NAMIBIA

THURSDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER

JAPAN vs SAMOA

FRIDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER

NEW ZEALAND vs ITALY

SATURDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER

• ARGENTINA vs CHILE
• FIJI vs GEORGIA
• SCOTLAND vs ROMANIA

SUNDAY, 1 OCTOBER

• AUSTRALIA vs FINAL QUALIFIER WINNER
• SOUTH AFRICA vs TONGA

THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER

NEW ZEALAND vs URUGUAY

FRIDAY, 6 OCTOBER

FRANCE vs ITALY

SATURDAY, 7 OCTOBER

• WALES vs GEORGIA
• ENGLAND vs SAMOA
• IRELAND vs SCOTLAND

SUNDAY, 8 OCTOBER

• JAPAN vs ARGENTINA
• TONGA vs ROMANIA
• FIJI vs FINAL QUALIFIER WINNER

SATURDAY, 14 OCTOBER

• QUARTER-FINAL 1
• QUARTER-FINAL 2

SUNDAY, 15 OCTOBER

• QUARTER-FINAL 3
• QUARTER-FINAL 4

FRIDAY, 20 OCTOBER

SEMI-FINAL 1

SATURDAY, 21 OCTOBER

SEMI-FINAL 2

FRIDAY, 27 OCTOBER

BRONZE FINAL

SATURDAY, 28 OCTOBER

FINAL

Rugby World Championship Betting Lines

When you bet on the Rugby World Cup at LeoVegas Sport, you will have hundreds of expansive and exciting markets to choose from. Below is a list of classic betting opportunities associated with the sport.

Try Scorer

Back a player to get over the line first, last, or at any point in the match.

Total Points

Whether you think it will be a high-scoring affair or a turgid, attritional clash, you can predict the number of points in a game.

Match Winner

Take your pick and predict the team you think will win. There can be no ties in Rugby League - if required, extra time will come into force to help find a clear winner.

Total Tries

Predict the number of times both teams will go over.

Match Events

Find in-game specials - including whether a team will win both halves, the first team to score, and the type of first scoring play.

How to Bet on Rugby Union World Cup

Finding Rugby Union World Cup markets to bet on with LeoVegas is easy - you can find hundreds of betting options in a few simple steps:

Step 1: Search for the Rugby World Cup in the search bar, located in the top right of your desktop or mobile device. Step 2: Type in Rugby World Cup. Step 3: Flick through the available match odds or outright markets.

Teams and Players to Watch Out For

Ireland go into the 2023 Rugby Union World Cup as the No 1 ranked team in the world. Ireland’s No 1 world ranking follows their 2023 Six Nations win. It was their 15th all-time Six Nations title. Reigning world champions, New Zealand are second in the world rankings. Fans may feel aggrieved at the ranking following the All Blacks World Cup win four years ago.

New Zealand will have an early challenge in the pool play against France. The French are ranked No 3 in the world and were as high as No 2 just a few months ago. The All Blacks won the 2023 Rugby Championship, and the media are now proclaiming that New Zealand have returned.

The All Blacks are not the favourite to win the 2023 tournament despite being the reigning champions and three-time winners. France are the bookmakers’ favourite at odds of 3.50. Bookmakers believe the French could take home the title on home soil. However, France failed to win the World Cup when hosting two previous tournaments.

Ireland are at odds of 5.50 to win the Rugby Union World Cup. The Irish have been the sport’s best team over the last two years. However, the Irish have never won the World Cup and have failed to show up for the big games. Ireland did defeat the All Blacks in a test match in New Zealand. It was the first time in nearly three decades the All Blacks had lost on home soil.

England reached the final of the 2019 World Cup, losing 32-12 to South Africa. The English are 11.00 to win this year’s tournament. South Africa, ranked No 4 in the world, are at odds of 5.50 to win the World Cup.

One of the dark horses at this year’s tournament are Scotland. The Scottish are ranked No 5 in the world and are ahead of old rivals England. Scotland will play Ireland, South Africa, Tonga, and Romania in Pool B. The Scots have a chance of progressing to the quarterfinals. From there, their progression may be determined by which team they face. Scotland could be the dark horse of the competition, as they go into the tournament at odds of 29.00.

New Zealand’s Aaron Smith is one player that could have a breakout tournament. The 34-year-old Highlanders player is one of the world’s best half-backs. Smith will lead a very experienced team into the tournament. Indeed, the All Blacks will be the most experienced international team in the competition.

Ireland’s Finlay Bealham stepped in for injured Tadhg Furlong at prop during the Six Nations. Bealham played well and will now have the chance to shine on the World Cup stage. France’s Antonio Dupont will line up at scrum half. The Toulouse player has been labelled as the “Erling Haaland of rugby”. Dupont is the best scrum half in the game currently. Can he lead the bookmakers’ favourite to the Webb Ellis Cup?

Rugby Union World Cup Betting Tips

France go into the tournament as the favourite, according to bookmakers. Yes, the French are ranked No 3 in the world, but some bookmakers may be favouring the team due to them playing on home soil. Bettors shouldn’t discount the French, as playing on home soil can spur a team onto winning the tournament.

Three of the nine previous Rugby Union World Cups saw the host win the tournament. New Zealand won the event in 1987 as co-hosts with Australia and again in 2011. South Africa lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 1995 as hosts, defeating New Zealand 15-12 after extra time.

France were the bridesmaid on three occasions, losing the final to New Zealand in 1987, Australia in 1999, and New Zealand in 2011. The French are 3.50 to win the tournament. France are favourites solely because they are playing on home soil. It is difficult to believe New Zealand, South Africa, or Australia won’t reach the final. Then there is Ireland.

Ireland are first in the world rankings and defeated France during the Six Nations. The Irish are at odds of 5.50 to win a first-ever World Cup. One team that could struggle in the tournament is Wales. The Welsh have struggled in 2023. Wales are ranked No 9 in the world and are at odds of 41.00 to win the tournament.

Rugby Union World Cup outright winner betting odds:

• France 3.50
• New Zealand 3.75
• Ireland 5.50
• South Africa 5.50
• England 11.00
• Australia 12.00
• Argentina 29.00
• Scotland 29.00
• Wales 41.00
• Fiji 151.00
• Italy 251.00
• Japan 301.00
• Samoa 501.00
• Tonga 501.00
• Georgia 751.00
• Chile 1501.00
• Namibia 1501.00
• Portugal 1501.00
• Romania 1501.00
• Uruguay 1501.00

*Odds are subject to change. Check the latest odds here

Rugby League World Cup History

The Rugby League World Cup has been on the international sporting stage since 1954 - the winners of the inaugural tournament were Great Britain. Australia have since established themselves as international powerhouses, however. The Wallabies have won 11 titles - including six consecutive titles from 1975 until 2000.

Australian halfback Jonathan Thurston holds the record for the most points by an individual player - he has racked up an incredible 124 points - 12 ahead of compatriot Mick Cronin.

The Rugby League World Cup has been the playground of many legendary Rugby League figures, including the aforementioned Thurston, Melbourne Storm stalwart Cameron Smith, and Andrew Johns - a player many would label the greatest to play the game!

Rugby Union World Cup History

The first Rugby Union World Cup was held in 1987. The hosts were Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand and South Africa are the only teams that have won World Cup 3 times, while Australia won 2 trophies. As more rugby-playing nations are invited, the tournament's field of competitors has increased from 16 to 20 teams.

Rugby World Cup FAQ

Who won the World Cup 2022 Rugby League?

Australia is the winner of the Rugby League 2022 World Cup.

Who are favourites to win Rugby World Cup 2023?

Based on current odds, the favourites are France, New Zealand and Ireland.

How often is the Rugby League World Cup?

Rugby League World Cup is organised every four years. The last World Cup was postponed due to COVID-19.

Who will host the 2023 Rugby World Cup?

France will host Rugby Union World Cup in 2023.

Which country will host the 2025 Rugby League World Cup?

France will host both Union World Cup in 2023 and League World Cup in 2025.

What are the odds of England winning the Rugby World Cup?

The current odds for England are 7.50, however they might change during the tournament.

What is the Rugby Union World Cup?

The Rugby Union World Cup takes place every four years. It brings together the 20 best international rugby union teams in the world. The 2023 edition of the Rugby World Cup will be the 10th tournament.

How often does the tournament take place?

The Rugby Union World Cup occurs every four years. It debuted in 1987 and has taken place in odd-numbered years ever since.

How many teams participate in Rugby Union World Cup 2023?

The 2023 tournament will welcome 20 international rugby union teams.

Who are the previous winners of the tournament?

The previous Rugby Union World Cup winners were:

• New Zealand – 1987, 2011, 2015
• Australia – 1991, 1999
• South Africa – 1995, 2007, 2019
• England – 2003

  How can I watch the matches online in New Zealand?

Sky Sports NZ hold the exclusive rights to the Rugby Union World Cup in New Zealand. Fans can stream the matches live on the Sky Sports NZ app. Six matches will be shown free-to-air on Prime NZ.