Expect some thrilling competitive internation sport over the next 6 weeks. Japan take over as hosts from England who hosted the 2015 World Cup. Although the tournament is international (the first truely international Rugby League tournament) it’s the first time the World Cup has headed to Asia. New Zealand are the current holders of the Webb Ellis Cup.
Played in two stages; a pool stage and Knockout stage. Twelve of the available twenty positions are filled automatically by teams who finished thrid or better in the pool stages of the previous tournament. A region based qualification system is applied to the remaining eight places with the final place awarded to the winners of an international play-off. Namibia, United States of America, Russia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Uruguay enter the tournament from existing regoinal competitions. Canada play as winners of the Repechage final tournament.
England face Argentina and France in pool C, meaning that either England, Argentina or France will be going home before getting to the knockout stages. Matches regularly received an audience of up to 11.5 Million in 2015. Expect nothing less for these crucial pool C matches for England.
Where are games getting broadcasted?
Both the Japan 2019 and France 2023 World Cup tournaments are being aired on ITV.
Rugby World Cup 2019 groups
Pool A
Ireland; Scotland; Japan; Russia; Samoa
Pool B
New Zealand; South Africa; Italy; Namibia; Canada
Pool C
England; France; Argentina; USA; Tonga
Pool D
Australia; Wales; Georgia; Fiji; Uruguay
These twenty teams will fight their way through these four pools with the top two going forward into the knockout stages (Quarter, Semi finals and a final).
Most matches are being shown on ITV with 10 being shown on ITV 4.
Fixture list and kick off times
Friday, September 20
Japan 30 Russia 10… Tokyo Stadium… 11.45am BST… (ITV)
Saturday, September 21
Australia 39 Fiji 21… Sapporo Dome… 5.45am BST… (ITV)
France 23 Argentina 21 Tokyo Stadium… 8.15am BST… (ITV)
New Zealand 23 South Africa 13 International Stadium Yokohama… 10.45am BST… (ITV)
Sunday, September 22
Italy 47 Namibia 22… Hanazono Rugby Stadium… 6.15am BST… (ITV)
Ireland 27 Scotland 3… International Stadium Yokohama… 8.45am BST… (ITV)
England 35 Tonga 3… Sapporo Dome… 11.15am BST… (ITV)
Monday, September 23
Wales 43 Georgia 14… City of Toyota Stadium… 11.15am BST… (ITV)
Tuesday, September 24
Russia vs Samoa… Kumagaya Rugby Stadium… 11.15am BST… (ITV 4)
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Wednesday, September 25
Fiji vs Uruguay… Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium… 6.15am BST… (ITV 4)
Thursday, September 26
Italy vs Canada… Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium… 8.45am BST… (ITV 4)
England vs USA… Kobe Misaki Stadium… 11.45am BST… (ITV)
Saturday, September 28
Argentina vs Tonga… Hanazono Rugby Stadium… 5.45am BST… (ITV)
Japan vs Ireland… Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa… 8.15am BST… (ITV)
South Africa vs Namibia… City of Toyota Stadium… 10.45am BST… (ITV)
Sunday, September 29
Georgia vs Uruguay… Kumagaya Rugby Stadium… 6.15am BST… (ITV)
Australia vs Wales… Tokyo Stadium… 8.45am BST… (ITV)
Monday, September 30
Scotland vs Samoa… Kobe Misaki Stadium… 11.15am BST… (ITV)
Wednesday, October 2
France vs USA… Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium… 8.45am BST… (ITV 4)
New Zealand vs Canada… Oita Stadium… 11.15am BST… (ITV 4)
Thursday, October 3
Georgia vs Fiji… Hanazono Rugby Stadium… 6.15am BST… (ITV 4)
Ireland vs Russia… Kobe Misaki Stadium… 11.15am BST… (ITV)
Friday, October 4
South Africa vs Italy… Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa… 10.45am BST… (ITV 4)
Saturday, October 5
Australia vs Uruguay… Oita Stadium… 6.15am BST… (ITV)
England vs Argentina… Tokyo Stadium… 9am BST… (ITV)
Japan vs Samoa… City of Toyota Stadium… 11.30am BST… (ITV)
Sunday, October 6
New Zealand vs Namibia… Tokyo Stadium… 5.45am BST… (ITV)
France vs Tonga… Kumamoto Stadium… 8.45am BST… (ITV)
Tuesday, October 8
South Africa vs Canada… Kobe Misaki Stadium… 11.15am BST… (ITV 4)
Wednesday, October 9
Argentina vs USA… Kumagaya Rugby Stadium… 5.45am BST… (ITV 4)
Scotland vs Russia… Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa… 8.15am BST… (ITV)
Wales vs Fiji… Oita Stadium… 10.45am BST… (ITV)
Friday, October 11
Australia vs Georgia… Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa… 11.15am BST… (ITV 4)
Saturday, October 12
New Zealand vs Italy… City of Toyota Stadium… 5.45am BST… (ITV)
England vs France… International Stadium Yokohama… 9.15am BST… (ITV)
Ireland vs Samoa… Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium… 11.45am BST… (ITV)
Sunday, October 13
Namibia vs Canada… Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium… 4.15am BST… (ITV)
USA vs Tonga… Hanazono Rugby Stadium… 6.45am BST… (ITV)
Wales vs Uruguay… Kumamoto Stadium… 9.15am BST… (ITV)
Japan vs Scotland… International Stadium Yokohama… 11.45am BST… (ITV)
Other key dates
The Quarter-Finals are on October 19-20.
The Semi-Finals are on October 26-27.
The Bronze Final is on November 1.
The Final is on November 2.