Rugby World Cup 2023

The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be staged in France from September 08 to October 21. Having already hosted a Football World Cup, France will be well equipped with a plethora of top class stadia.

Of the 20 teams competing at the 2023 event, 12 will be handed automatic qualification having finished in the top three in their respective pools at the last Rugby World Cup in 2019. The remaining eight places will be determined via regional qualifying competitions.

The 20 teams have already been divided out into four pools of five, with the top two from each advancing to the quarter-finals, at which point the tournament assumes a knockout format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Rugby World Cup 2023?

• The Rugby World Cup 2023 is being played in France. The Rugby World Cup 2023 will kick-off on Friday the 08th of September 2023 for the official Opening Ceremony in Paris. The first match of the tournament will take place on the same day.

How long will the Rugby World Cup 2023 last for?

• The tournament will start on Friday, September 08th, 2023, with the final taking place on Saturday, October 21st, 2023.

Who are favourites to win the Rugby World Cup 2023?

• International rugby powerhouse New Zealand will no doubt be at the top of the market once again because of their strong rugby tradition.

How to watch the Rugby World Cup 2023?

• The Rugby World Cup 2023 will be streamed all over the world, with competing nations offering coverage to home fans through various service providers.

Tournament Betting Markets

• Top Try Scorer - Who will score the most tries at the Rugby World Cup is one of the most fun and engaging markets to bet on at the tournament. Tries are the main attraction in rugby union, and the record number scored at a single World Cup tournament is eight, jointly held by the late, legendary All Black Jonah Lomu (1999), South African Bryan Habana (2007) and New Zealand wing Julian Savea (2015).
• Top Points Scorer - This personal honour is usually assumed by a fly-half from one of the favoured nations at the tournament. A fly-half (No. 10) will typically contribute points via all forms of scoring in rugby, usually through conversions and penalties, but also the odd try and perhaps a drop-goal or two.
• Rugby World Cup Dream Team - Making the World Rugby ‘Dream Team’ at a World Cup is a way of recognising those who have performed at an exceptional level in each of rugby’s 15 positions. The final XV is usually packed with players from the winning nation, but other notable performers will get the nod in lesser heralded positions such as the Loosehead Prop (No.1) and Locks in the Second Row (No.4 and No.5).
• World Cup Best Moment - The best moment in a World Cup isn’t necessarily awarded to the winning score in the final, although it might be if it’s particularly memorable – such as Johnny Wilkinson’s last-gasp drop-goal to beat Australia, in extra-time and in Sydney, in 2003. In many cases, it could be rare moment that people will be remembered by, such as huge underdogs Japan beating the famous Springboks in the group stages at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which won the award that year.

Rugby World Cup Free Bets

The best rugby betting sites will approach the tournament with a range of offers to entice bettors, with competition for custom usually extremely high. That works in favour of the punter, who can capitalise on an array of sign-up offers in particular, many of which will incorporate free bets.

The best Rugby World Cup free bets will emerge in the weeks and days leading up to the beginning of the tournament’s opening game. They will vary in type, with the most popular likely to be a Matched Free Bet, whereby bookmakers duplicate the user’s initial deposit amount and make it available as a free bet.

Others may offer grossly inflated odds on the tournament favourites in the outright betting for new customers only. However, each bookmaker will have its own set of rules surrounding their free bet offers and how any winnings may be used, so be sure to read the individual terms so you know exactly what it is you’re signing up for.

What is the Rugby World Cup?

The Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle tournament in men’s international rugby union and has been held every four years since the inaugural event in 1987. It is contested between 20 of the best international teams.

Generally, Southern Hemisphere nations tend to be stronger than their Northern counterparts, with New Zealand, Australia and South Africa traditionally very strong and each has won the Rugby World Cup multiple times.

However, the Northern Hemisphere – specifically western Europe – does produce some of the best teams in international rugby, with former winners England usually highly ranked as well as Ireland and Wales and must be taken into account when considering your rugby betting strategy.

According to World Rugby themselves, with four billion television viewers of the 2015 event, the Rugby World Cup is the third biggest sporting event on the planet, behind only the FIFA football World Cup and the Olympics. However, many sources contradict that belief.

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Previous Rugby World Cup Winners

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Related Betting Guides

• Rugby Championship Betting Guide
• Rugby League Betting Guide
• Six Nations Betting Guide