Rugby World Cup 2023 draw in full: Groups, dates, fixtures, routes to the final and everything else we know

England’s pasting at the hands of the Springboks in Yokohama feels like a distant memory with preparations for the 2023 Rugby World Cup now in full swing.

The tournament will be held in France and the hosts face three-time winners New Zealand as well Italy in Pool A.

The draw has placed England in Pool D with Japan, Argentina and Samoa, alongside World Cup debutants Chile.

Wales face Australia and Fiji in Pool C, while Scotland and Ireland are in Pool B against reigning champions South Africa.

Here we look at the groups in full, the fixture schedule, and a possible quarter-final line-up for the ages…

Mục Lục

Route to the final

The finals work the same way as the 2019 tournament with the first two teams in each pool progressing to the quarter-finals, which will be contested by knock-out matches.

Quarter-finals:

QF 1: Winner Pool C vs Runner up Pool D
QF 2: Winner Pool B v Runner up Pool A
QF 3: Winner Pool D v Runner up Pool C
QF 4: Winner Pool A v Runner up Pool B

Semi-finals:

SF 1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
SF 2: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4

An Ireland vs New Zealand quarter-final?

Rugby World Cup 2023 power rankings Ireland topped the world rankings after beating New Zealand last year (Photo: AFP)

If we suppose the top-ranked teams each win their pools and the second-ranked teams finish runners-up then the quarter-finals in 2023 could look something like this…

Australia vs Argentina
Ireland vs New Zealand
England vs Wales
France vs South Africa

Ireland currently top the world rankings, but with No 2 France and No 3 New Zealand placed in the same pool, a tough quarter-final awaits should the Irish top their own group.

It means the World Cup opener between France and New Zealand is all-important, with the loser likely to come up against the Irish in the last eight. Ireland beat New Zealand on their own turf last year, an historic series victory that elevated them to the top of the world rankings.

As a result, based on the world rankings (correct as of 3 February), the semi-finals could look like this…

Australia vs Ireland
England vs France

… but there is of course a long, long way to go yet. And never write off the All Blacks.

2023 World Cup fixtures in full

Sep 8: France vs New Zealand (Pool A) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Sep 9: Italy vs Namibia (Pool A) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne

Sep 9: Ireland vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux

Sep 9: Australia vs Georgia (Pool C) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Sep 9: England vs Argentina (Pool D) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille

Sep 10: Japan vs Chile (Pool D) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse

Sep 10: South Africa vs Scotland (Pool B) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille

Sep 10: Wales vs Fiji (Pool C) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux

Sep 14: France vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille

Sep 15: New Zealand vs Namibia (Pool A) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse

Sep 16: Samoa vs Chile (Pool D) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux

Sep 16: Wales vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stade de Nice, Nice

Sep 16: Ireland vs Tonga (Pool B) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes

Sep 17: South Africa vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux

Sep 17: Australia vs Fiji (Pool C) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne

Sep 17: England vs Japan (Pool D) – Stade de Nice, Nice

Sep 20: Italy vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Stade de Nice, Nice

Sep 21: France vs Namibia (Pool A) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille

Sep 22: Argentina vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne

Sep 23: Georgia vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse

Sep 23: England vs Chile (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille

Sep 23: South Africa vs Ireland (Pool B) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Sep 24: Scotland vs Tonga (Pool B) – Stade de Nice, Nice

Sep 24: Wales vs Australia (Pool C) – Parc OL, Lyon

Sep 27: Uruguay vs Namibia (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon

Sep 28: Japan vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse

Sep 29: New Zealand vs Italy (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon

Sep 30: Argentina vs Chile (Pool D) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes

Sep 30: Fiji vs Georgia (Pool C) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux

Sep 30: Scotland vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille

Oct 1: Australia vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne

Oct 1: South Africa vs Tonga (Pool B) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille

Oct 5: New Zealand vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon

Oct 6: France vs Italy (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon

Oct 7: Wales vs Georgia (Pool C) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes

Oct 7: England vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille

Oct 7: Ireland vs Scotland (Pool B) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Oct 8: Japan vs Argentina (Pool D) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes

Oct 8: Tonga vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille

Oct 8: Fiji vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse

Oct 14: Quarter-final 1 – Winner Pool C vs Runner-up Pool D – Stade Velodrome, Marseille

Oct 14: Quarter-final 2 – Winner Pool B vs Runner-up Pool A – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Oct 15: Quarter-final 3 – Winner Pool D vs Runner-up Pool C – Stade Velodrome, Marseille

Oct 15: Quarter-final 4 – Winner Pool A vs Runner-up Pool B – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Oct 20: Semi-final 1 – Winner QF 1 vs Winner QF 2 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Oct 21: Semi-final 2 – Winner QF 3 vs Winner QF 4 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Oct 27: Bronze final – Loser SF 1 vs Loser SF 2 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Oct 28: Final – Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

When is Rugby World Cup 2023?

The 2023 tournament will take place between 8 September and 21 October 2023.

World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The draw is a key milestone on the journey to Rugby World Cup France 2023, and the time when the tournament truly comes to life for teams and players alike.

“It enables key operational elements to be undertaken such as venue allocation, optimal match schedule development and the ticketing programme.”

England’s ‘gift’ to Australia

Australia have been handed a “true gift” by England after Eddie Jones was appointed the new Wallabies coach eight months before the World Cup.

That is according to 1991 World Cup winner Simon Poidevin, who was remarking on Rugby Australia’s surprise decision to sack Dave Rennie and bring in Jones on a five-year deal back in January.

“Rugby Australia has made the right decision in appointing Eddie Jones,” Poidevin told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“The Rugby Football Union gave Australian rugby a true gift when they sacked Eddie, putting in play one of the most talented, successful and hard-working rugby coaches the world has seen.”

Jones’ seven-year spell with England ended in December, with the RFU going on to replace him with Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick.

A swift return to rugby means Jones, 62, will oversee the Wallabies setup 18 years since his previous reign, which included a run to the 2003 World Cup final, where they lost to England, and a Tri-Nations title in 2001.

“It is a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to come home to Australia and lead my nation to a Rugby World Cup,” said Jones.

“It is going to be an immense period for Australian rugby – as a proud Australian, it is a great honour to be able to come home and lead the national team during these years.

“The Wallabies squad is a really talented group of players with good depth – if we can have everyone fit and healthy going into the World Cup this year, I am confident that we can go to France and break the 24-year drought of winning the Rugby World Cup.

“I saw how gutsy the Wallaroos were in the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last year – it looks like there is a real spirit in that group that will drive the women’s programme forward ahead of their next World Cup in 2025.

“I am really looking forward to getting back home and getting stuck in.”