2023 rugby union events and tournaments

INTERNATIONAL RUGBY UNION

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After a huge year for women’s rugby union in 2022, with the World Cup held in New Zealand, it’s the men’s turn to compete for the biggest prize in 2023. France will host the 20-nation Rugby World Cup, starting on 8 September and finishing on 28 October 2023. Before the World Cup though there will be the Six Nations and Rugby Championship followed by the summer internationals as teams and players look to impress ahead of the tournament in France.

2023 rugby union events calendar at a glance

Major tournaments, events and fixtures

Hosts France will take on the All Blacks in the opening match of the tournament at the 80,698-capacity Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Friday 8 September. After the quarter-finals, semi-finals and bronze match, the 2023 Rugby World Cup final will be played on Saturday 28 October, also at the Stade de France.

Teams and pools 

  • Pool A: New Zealand, France, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia
  • Pool B: South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Romania
  • Pool C: Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal
  • Pool D: England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Chile

Pool fixtures (see tabs)

  • 8 September-8 October 2023

Quarter-finals 

  • 14 October 2023: Winner of Pool C vs. Runner-up of Pool D (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
  • 14 October 2023: Winner of Pool B vs. Runner-up of Pool A (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
  • 15 October 2023: Winner of Pool D vs. Runner-up of Pool C (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
  • 15 October 2023: Winner of Pool A vs. Runner-up of Pool B (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)

Semi-finals 

  • 20 October 2023: Winner of QF1 vs. Winner of QF2 (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
  • 21 October 2023: Winner of QF3 vs. Winner of QF4 (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)

Bronze final 

  • 27 October 2023: Loser of SF1 vs. Loser of SF2 (Stade de France, Saint-Denis) 

2023 Rugby World Cup final 

  • 28 October 2023: Winner of SF1 vs. Winner of SF2 (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)

 

  • 8 September 2023: France vs. New Zealand (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
  • 9 September 2023: Italy vs. Namibia (Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne)
  • 14 September 2023: France vs. Uruguay (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille)
  • 15 September 2023: New Zealand vs. Namibia (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse)
  • 20 September 2023: Italy vs. Uruguay (Allianz Riviera, Nice)
  • 21 September 2023: France vs. Namibia (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
  • 27 September 2023: Uruguay vs. Namibia (Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu)
  • 29 September 2023: New Zealand vs. Italy (Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu)
  • 5 October 2023: New Zealand vs. Uruguay (Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu)
  • 6 October 2023: France vs. Italy (Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu)
  • 9 September 2023: Ireland vs. Romania (Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
  • 10 September 2023: South Africa vs. Scotland (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
  • 16 September 2023: Ireland vs. Tonga (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
  • 17 September 2023: South Africa vs. Romania (Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
  • 23 September 2023: South Africa vs. Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
  • 24 September 2023: Scotland vs. Tonga (Allianz Riviera, Nice)
  • 30 September 2023: Scotland vs. Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille)
  • 1 October 2023: South Africa vs. Tonga (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
  • 7 October 2023: Ireland vs. Scotland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
  • 8 October 2023: Tonga vs. Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille)
  • 9 September 2023: Australia vs. Georgia (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
  • 10 September 2023: Wales vs. Fiji (Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
  • 16 September 2023: Wales vs. Portugal (Allianz Riviera, Nice)
  • 17 September 2023: Australia vs. Fiji (Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne)
  • 23 September 2023: Georgia vs. Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse)
  • 24 September 2023: Wales vs. Australia (Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu)
  • 30 September 2023: Fiji vs. Georgia (Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
  • 1 October 2023: Australia vs. Portugal (Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne)
  • 7 October 2023: Wales vs. Georgia (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
  • 8 October 2023: Fiji vs. Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse)
  • 9 September 2023: England vs. Argentina (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
  • 10 September 2023: Japan vs. Chile (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse)
  • 16 September 2023: Samoa vs. Chile (Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
  • 17 September 2023: England vs. Japan (Allianz Riviera, Nice)
  • 22 September 2023: Argentina vs. Samoa (Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne)
  • 23 September 2023: England vs. Chile (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille)
  • 28 September 2023: Japan vs. Samoa (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse)
  • 30 September 2023: Argentina vs. Chile (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
  • 7 October 2023: England vs. Samoa (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille)
  • 8 October 2023: Japan vs. Argentina (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)

Round one fixtures

  • 4 February: Wales vs. Ireland; England vs. Scotland
  • 5 February: Italy vs. France

Round two fixtures

  • 11 February: Ireland vs. France; Scotland vs. Wales
  • 12 February: England vs. Italy

Round three fixtures

  • 25 February: Italy vs. Ireland; Wales vs. England
  • 26 February: France vs. Scotland

Round four fixtures

  • 11 March: Italy vs. Wales; England vs. France
  • 12 March: Scotland vs. Ireland

Round five fixtures

  • 18 March: Scotland vs. Italy; France vs. Wales; Ireland vs. England

 

Round one fixtures

  • 25 March: Wales vs. Ireland; England vs. Scotland
  • 26 March: Italy vs. France
     

Round two fixtures

  • 1 April: Ireland vs. France; Scotland vs. Wales
  • 2 April: England vs. Italy 

Round three fixtures

  • 15 April: Wales vs. England; Italy vs. Ireland
  • 16 April: France vs. Scotland

Round four fixtures 

  • 22 April: Ireland vs. England; Scotland vs. Italy
  • 23 April: France vs. Wales

Round five fixtures

  • 29 April: England vs. France; Italy vs. Wales; Scotland vs. Ireland

With the Rugby World Cup taking place this year, the 2023 SANZAAR Rugby Championship will feature six matches involving Southern Hemisphere nations Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Additional matches on the schedule sees a second Bledisloe Cup match between Australia and New Zealand and a second clash between South Africa and Argentina.  

Rugby Championship fixtures

  • Round one – 8 July: South Africa vs. Australia; Argentina vs. New Zealand
  • Round two – 15 July: New Zealand vs. South Africa; Australia vs. Argentina
  • Round three – 29 July: Australia vs. New Zealand; South Africa vs. Argentina


Bledisloe Cup

  • 5 August: New Zealand vs. Australia 


Internationals

  • 6 August: Argentina vs. South Africa

Sunday 28 May 2023 

  • Barbarians vs. World XV (Twickenham Stadium, London)

     

Saturday 29 July 2023

  • Scotland vs. Italy (BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh)

Saturday 5 August 2023

  • Ireland vs. Italy (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
  • Scotland vs. France (BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh)
  • Wales vs. England (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
  • Bledisloe Cup: New Zealand vs. Australia (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)
  • Argentina vs. South Africa (Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires)

Saturday 12 August 2023 

  • England vs. Wales (Twickenham Stadium, London)
  • France vs. Scotland (Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne)
     

Saturday 19 August 2023 

  • Ireland vs. England (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
  • Wales vs. South Africa (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
  • France vs. Fiji (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
     

Friday 25 August 2023 

  • New Zealand vs. South Africa (Twickenham Stadium, London; Ticketmaster UK)

     

Saturday 26 August 2023 

  • Ireland vs. Samoa (Stade Jean-Dauger, Bayonne)
  • England vs. Fiji (Twickenham Stadium, London)
  • Scotland vs. Georgia (BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh)

Sunday 27 August 2023

  • France vs. Australia (Stade de France, Paris)