France v New Zealand
Friday, Stade de France [KO 8.15pm, RTÉ 2]
The World Cup kicks-off with a bang tomorrow as the hosts France take on three-time winners New Zealand in Paris.
The game is of significant interest to Ireland as one of these sides will likely be waiting for Andy Farrell’s team should they reach the quarter-finals.
For many, France are favourites to win the tournament but their preparation has been disrupted by injuries to key players Romain Ntamack, Paul Willemse and Jonathan Danty, before the storm surrounding Bastien Chalureau’s call up put more attention on the group – the second row is appealing against a six-month prison sentence for a racially motivated attack in 2020.
France will be happy to finally get out on the pitch and Friday’s opener promises to be a blockbuster clash at the Stade de France.
New Zealand were hammered by South Africa in their final warm-up fixture but enjoyed a good Rugby Championship and while they might not be the force of old, there is still a huge amount of talent in an All Blacks squad who will be hoping to rattle the hosts at the first hurdle. France, on the other hand, will be looking to match the hype surrounding their high-flying side, with star scrum-half Antoine Dupont primed to light up the tournament.
England v Argentina
Saturday, Stade de Marseille [KO 8pm, RTÉ]
After a quite horrendous lead-in to the tournament, it will be fascinating to see how England show up at the World Cup and they face a tough opener against Michael Cheika’s Argentina this weekend.
England have looked laboured and uninspired under Steve Borthwick, who replaced Eddie Jones as head coach last December, but being on the ‘easier’ side of the draw, they could still go deep in the tournament. However, they’ve looked so out of sorts that they can’t take anything for granted in a pool where Samoa will be hoping to cause an upset.
The pressure is already on England and defeat against Argentina would only heighten the sense of unease around this team.
The Pumas have been building nicely under Cheika and look the favourites to advance from Pool D. An opening weekend win against Borthwick’s underwhelming England would set them up nicely for a good run in the tournament.
South Africa v Scotland
Sunday, Stade de Marseille [KO 4.45pm, Virgin Media]
A huge game from an Irish point of view as Pool B rivals South Africa and Scotland go head-to-head in Marseille. If Ireland are to make it to the quarter-finals, one of these teams will be heading home early.
And this should be a cracking contest. The Springboks look to have timed their run to this World Cup nicely, powering to a record win against the All Blacks in their final warm-up game while Scotland’s re-energised attack has produced some scintillating rugby over the summer. Can Gregor Townsend’s side back that up at the World Cup? The Scots are certainly confident and a win here would really shake things up in a pool which contains three of the top five ranked teams in the world.
There’s no room for error. Ireland’s passage to the quarter-finals is by no means guaranteed and Farrell’s side will know a lot more about how their opponents are shaping up after this massive Sunday evening fixture.
South Africa v Ireland
Saturday 23 September, Stade de France [KO 8pm, RTÉ]
Speaking of Ireland, the meeting of the world’s top-ranked side and 2019 World Cup winners South Africa will be the highlight of week three.
Ireland were too strong for the Boks when the two sides met in Dublin last year but South Africa are a different beast when it comes to World Cup rugby, with their pack, and famed ‘bomb squad’ off the bench, surely the most physically challenging test around.
The build-up to this Paris fixture is also likely to be highly entertaining as Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus often throws out some good lines in his press conferences.
An Ireland win would help ease the pressure ahead of their final pool clash with Scotland, but it will be a major step up in intensity following the opening fixtures against Romania and Tonga. Barring disaster in those opening two fixtures, this will be the point where Ireland’s World Cup campaign really ramps up. Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe…. Bring it on.
Wales v Australia
Sunday 24 September, OL Stadium, Lyon [KO 8pm, Virgin Media]
The meeting of Wales and Australia in Lyon in week three sees old foes Warren Gatland and Eddie Jones square off again.
Gatland returned to the Wales hot seat after Wayne Pivac was shown the door last December while Jones signed up with the Wallabies shortly after his own dismissal by the RFU. Both Wales and Australia have struggled for form this year but there could be fireworks when they go toe-to-toe at the impressive Groupama Stadium.
Jones has been up to his old tricks in the media and he shocked the rugby world with his Wallabies squad for this tournament but Australia remain favourites to advance from Pool C.
For Wales, their biggest fixture is probably their opening weekend clash with a Fiji side who looked well placed to disrupt the established order and reach the knock-out stages – although the loss of Caleb Muntz is a hammer blow for the Pacific Islanders. If Fiji do get one over Wales this weekend, then the Australia game could be do-or-die for Gatland’s charges. Either way, this has the potential to be memorable clash in the Rhone Valley.
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