With the 2023 Rugby World Cup now bright on the horizon, we thought we would take a closer look at the venues, the teams, the fixtures, the previous winners, and the big matches to keep an eye out for in the latest edition of the Rugby World Cup – besides England of course!
Ah, the Rugby World Cup…the epitome of rugby excellence and an incredible sporting spectacle that brings nations from across the world together every four years to share their love of the sport and compete for glory. The inaugural Rugby World Cup was held in 1987 by Australia and New Zealand, won by the All Blacks who lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time.
As such a monumental occasion in the world of rugby and highlight in the sporting calendar, we expect the 2023 Rugby World Cup to be nothing short of exceptional. The hours of training, copious preparation and months of anticipation will all lead up to this very moment, where heart-stopping action will see rugby giants clash on the pitch to showcase their unmatched skills, tenacity and pure determination.
Where is the 2023 Rugby World Cup?
This is the first time since 2007 that the Rugby World Cup has been held in France. Some of the best premiership rugby teams in the world call France home, therefore there are many iconic stadia and venues ready to host the hundreds of thousands of fans due to descend on the country in just a few weeks’ time.
The Quarter Finals will be held at either Stade de Marseille, Marseille or Stade de France, Saint-Denis and the Semi-finals will then both be held at Stade de France along with the bronze medal game and the Final. The Stade de France is the national stadium of France and can hold just over 80,000 spectators. It’s the sixth largest stadium in Europe and what a stage it will be to determine the best rugby union team in the world! Other stadiums that will host some of the group stage matches in September include Stade de Bordeaux, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Ol Stadium, Stade de la Beaujoire, Stade de Nice, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard and Stade de Toulouse.
What teams are in the Rugby World Cup 2023?
Pool A - New Zealand, France, Italy, Uruguay and Namibia
Pool B - South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga and Romania
Pool C - Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal
Pool D - England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa and Chile
Current predictions on who will win the Rugby World Cup 2023
Well, at the time of writing the best teams in the world are currently ranked as followed:
France will have a home nation advantage, which is the benefit the home team experiences over visiting teams. The psychological effects of the supporting home crowd can immensely boost the morale and motivation of the team through singing, cheering and simply their presence, proudly donning their team’s kit and country colours. Visiting teams may suffer a disadvantage of playing in a different time zone with different climates, elements of which the home team can take advantage of. The big question is, will France benefit from the home advantage and go all the way to the final? Only time will tell!
Be sure to keep an eye out for these Rugby World Cup 2023 fixtures:
Pool A – New Zealand v France
Pool B – South Africa v Ireland, South Africa v Scotland and Scotland v Ireland
Pool C – Australia v Wales and Wales v Fiji
Pool D – England v Argentina
While Argentina narrowly defeated England in the Autumn Nations Series in 2022 by one point, 30-29 (read the match review here), England have won all three previous Rugby World Cup encounters with the Pumas in the group stages. Ireland currently holds the 2023 Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam title, supporting their strong potential against international teams, and New Zealand are regarded as one of the most successful teams in history for their strength and ability to perform under pressure, who are undoubtably going to make their mark in this edition of the Rugby World Cup.
Who are the previous Rugby World Cup winners?
If we take a look at the past 3 Rugby World Cups, South Africa took the title over England in 2019, New Zealand became the first side to retain the Webb Ellis trophy in 2015 following their triumph in 2011. Ireland currently holds the number one spot in the world rankings, New Zealand in second and France in third (updated August 2023), but all can change in the next few months. We expect the crowd’s thunderous roars to echo around the stadiums in France creating an electric and special atmosphere that will give us all goosebumps, as we share in the triumphs and heartbreaks and witness history in the making as legends are born.
With the Rugby World Cup being the epitome of rugby excellence, it is a spectacle that brings together nations from across the globe to compete for glory. Keep an eye out in the next few weeks for our Rugby World Cup Preview, courtesy of ex-England international, writer and Sky Sports commentator – Stuart Barnes.
If you’re eager to catch England in action on home soil at the home of rugby, Twickenham Stadium, after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, be sure to secure your place with Keith Prowse hospitality, Principal Sales Partner of England Rugby Hospitality, and elevate your day at the 2024 Guinness Six Nations and the Autumn Nations Series.
