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Tight for time? These are the key World Cup fixtures to watch this weekend

Because sometimes, you have to face your family instead of spending the weekend on the couch.

THERE’S A WHOPPING 640 minutes of international rugby ahead of us this weekend as the World Cup kicks off in England.

But we understand that committing over 12 hours to watching rugby in your limited weekend time isn’t always a goer. Sometimes it’s a bit overwhelming to try and juggle your rugby family with the real life people who start to worry when you bore a groove in to the couch.

So we’re here to help you decide which games to prioritise between now and Sunday, and which you might have to catch on the highlights wrap.

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Tonight 8pm: Fiji v England

Friday night is a great time to watch rugby and the tournament opener in Twickenham also sees the start of the Pool of Death.

download Glasgow's second row sensation Leone Nakarawa will be at the heart of the action against England.

Fiji have most of their big names on board for this World Cup and are capable of giving the hosts more than a few headaches in defence.

Saturday 2.30pm: Ireland v Canada

Les Kiss and Joe Schmidt Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

Joe Schmidt’s very first Rugby World Cup game and meeting Jamie Cudmore’s Canada straight out of the gate could be Ireland’s toughest fixture of the first fortnight. You can’t not watch Ireland, can you?

Saturday 8pm: France v Italy

The second match of the day from Ireland’s Pool (D). Les Bleus are obviously the main threat to Schmidt’s attempt to emulate Declan Kidney by topping the group.

Britain Rugby WCup France Are you close enough there, Fred? AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Italy will be hoping to conjure the spirit of 2011 and 2013 when they managed to beat France in Rome. This time it will be in Twickenham, rarely a happy hunting ground for either nation.

Sunday 4.45pm: New Zealand v Argentina

The All Blacks won’t get many serious challenges before the knock-out stages, so make sure to catch them take on their fellow Rugby Championship side.

Kieran Read Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO

If you’re a gaelic football fan you may not get over in time to see the Haka, but if you’ve seen one Sam Maguire handed over you’ve seen the lot, so once the result is beyond all doubt channel hop over to TV3 and size up the teams Ireland could be meeting in the quarter-finals.

Press record for…

Saturday:

Tonga v Georgia 12pm

South Africa v Japan, 4.45pm

Sunday:

Samoa v USA, 12pm

Wales v Uruguay, 2.30pm

Fiji have included all the flair in their team to face England

Do not adjust your set: Here’s the TV3 studio you’ll be seeing for the next 6 weeks

5 perfectly reasonable excuses to skive off work during the World Cup

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