All you need to know about the Rugby World Cup in Paris as the All Blacks look to lift the trophy for a record fourth time. 

When is the Rugby World Cup? 

The tournament kicks off on Saturday September 9 NZT with the opening game between host France and the All Blacks in Paris. The final takes place on October 29. The Rugby World Cup 2023 is the tenth men’s Rugby World Cup and will played across in nine venues across France. South Africa are the defending champions and looked impressive in their final hit-out against the All Blacks at Twickenham. Ireland have never won a World Cup but ahead into the tournament as the top ranked side in the world with South Africa, France, New Zealand and South Africa all rounding out the top five. 

World Cup winners 

1987 - New Zealand 

1991 - Australia 

1995 - South Africa 

1999 - Australia 

2003 - England 

2007 - South Africa 

2011 - New Zealand 

2015 - New Zealand 

2019 - South Africa 

Pools 

Pool A 

France, New Zealand, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia 

Pool B 

Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Tonga, Romania 

Pool C 

Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal 

Pool D 

England, Argentina, Japan, Manu Samoa, Chile 

Check out the Herald’s World Cup Team-by-team guide 

The draw 

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9 

7.15am, All Blacks v France, Saint-Denis 

11pm, Italy v Namibia, Saint-Étienne 

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10 

1.30am Ireland v Romania, Bordeaux 

4am Australia v Georgia, Saint-Denis 

7am England v Argentina, Marseille 

11pm Japan v Chile, Toulouse 

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11 

3.45am South Africa v Scotland, Marseille 

7am Wales v Fiji, Bordeaux 

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15 

7am France v Uruguay, Lille 

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16 

7am All Blacks v Namibia, Toulouse 

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17 

1am Samoa v Chile, Bordeaux 

3.45am Wales v Portugal, Nice 

7am Ireland v Tonga, Nantes 

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18 

1am South Africa v Romania, Bordeaux 

3.45am Australia v Fiji, Saint-Étienne 

7am England v Japan, Nice 

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21 

3.45am Italy v Uruguay, Nice 

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 

3.45am France v Namibia, Marseille 

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23 

3.45am Argentina v Samoa, Saint-Étienne 

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 

Get full coverage of the Rugby World Cup. 

How to watch Rugby World Cup 2023 in NZ? 

What channel is Rugby World Cup 2023 on? 

All 48 matches will be live on Sky Sport 1, and available to stream on Sky Sport Now. Select Rugby World Cup 2023 matches will be available to watch free-to-air on Sky Open, which has replaced Prime on Sky channel 4 and Freeview channel 15, as well as Prime+1 on Sky channel 514. 

Sky Open will broadcast 12 Rugby World Cup 2023 matches, including coverage of every All Blacks pool match and live coverage of the Final. 

NZME will broadcast all All Blacks’ games from the tournament live on Newstalk ZB, GOLD SPORT and The Alternative Commentary Collective (The ACC), and across iHeartRadio platforms, sharing all the action and excitement straight from the tournament in France. 

All Blacks squad 

Forwards: 

Hookers 

Dane Coles 

Samisoni Taukei’aho 

Codie Taylor 

Props 

Ethan de Groot 

Tyrel Lomax 

Nepo Laulala 

Fletcher Newell 

Ofa Tu’ungafasi 

Tamaiti Williams 

Locks 

Scott Barrett 

Brodie Retallick 

Tupou Vaa’i 

Samuel Whitelock 

Loose forwards 

Sam Cane – Captain 

Shannon Frizell 

Luke Jacobson 

Dalton Papali’i 

Ardie Savea 

Backs: 

Halfbacks 

Finlay Christie 

Cam Roigard 

Aaron Smith 

First five-eighths 

Beauden Barrett 

Damian McKenzie 

Richie Mo’unga 

Midfielders 

Jordie Barrett 

David Havili 

Rieko Ioane 

Anton Lienert-Brown 

Outside backs 

Caleb Clarke 

Leicester Fainga’anuku 

Will Jordan 

Emoni Narawa 

Mark Telea