Everything you need to know about the Rugby World Cup
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We’re just days out from the Rugby World Cup, and the anticipation is growing as fans count down to kick-off.
The Wallabies squad has been shaken up, the playbook tossed out, and coach Eddie Jones is throwing everything at the wall as he tries to build for the future.
So, here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
When does it start, and how can I watch?
The World Cup kicks off on Saturday at 5.15am (AEST) when France open their home tournament with a blockbuster against New Zealand.
Australia play their first game on Sunday at 2am (AEST) against Georgia. The Wallabies then take on Fiji, Wales and Portugal in their other pool C fixtures, and the knockout stage begins on the weekend of October 14-15.
Every Wallabies match and the final will be shown on Channel Nine and streamed on 9Now. Every game of the tournament will be shown on Stan Sport.
It’s a mammoth seven-week event for teams that go all the way, with the final held on Sunday, October 29, at 6am (AEST).
Who are the teams, and who are the favourites?
No surprises that perennial favourites New Zealand are again rated by the bookies as the team most likely to win this year’s tournament.
But after the All Blacks were whipped 35-7 by South Africa two weeks ago, the Springboks and host nation France will start the World Cup as many experts’ top picks.
It’s never wise to write off the All Blacks, though. They have lifted the trophy three times previously and dominated the recent Rugby Championship.
But South Africa were the 2019 World Cup winners, and they’ve timed their run perfectly for this year’s tournament. They could become the first four-time winners of the World Cup, after triumphs in 1995 and 2007 as well.
Ireland are the world’s top-ranked team, and have been outstanding for several years. But the Irish are notorious for peaking between World Cups – they have never made it past the quarter-finals – and are in a pool with South Africa and a much-improved Scotland.
And then we have France, who have home advantage. They handed the Wallabies their fifth-straight loss with a 41-17 victory in Paris last month, and have hit form at the right time.
But it’s tumultuous on France’s side of the draw. The hosts have New Zealand in their pool, and if they emerge from the group stage, they’ll likely face South Africa, Ireland or Scotland in the quarter-finals. That’s tough going.
Who is in the Wallabies squad, and how will they go?
It’s the biggest World Cup shake-up in Wallabies history, but Eddie Jones’ very green 33-man squad is ready to play.
Veterans Quade Cooper and Michael Hooper have been dropped – while rookies such as Tom Hooper, Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson have been given the opportunity of a lifetime.
They are on a five-game losing streak, and will begin the tournament without a win this year.
Despite their form, the Wallabies should make it through the group stage.
Australia have been drawn with Fiji, Wales, Georgia and Portugal. They’ve faced most of them before and, compared to other pools, it’s not a strong group. Wales are in a similar situation to Australia, struggling after replacing their coach.
Fiji and Georgia both have upsets in them. The Fijians downed England at Twickenham recently, and Georgia beat Wales at the end of last year.
But Australia should have the class to get past both, and will fancy their chances against Wales, too. That would secure top spot in the pool, and a quarter-final against England or Argentina.
Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match ad-free, live and on demand in 4K UHD from September 9.
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