The world's biggest rugby tournament is about to kick off, and the festivities are already underway. From the opening ceremony to the final match, there will be plenty of excitement and entertainment for fans of all ages.
The hosts, France, are the favorites to get their hands on the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time. The defending champions Springboks look in good shape to defend their title, though. It is also not advised to write off Ireland and New Zealand.
No matter who you're rooting for, there's no doubt that the 2023 Rugby World Cup will be a memorable event.
💚 "For the ones looking down on us."
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 25, 2023
The Springboks take on the All Blacks in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up match tonight.
The players continue to share their inspirations and reasons for playing the game 🗣️#StrongerTogether | #ForSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/e8IHkOHTXY
SPRINGBOK FORM
The Springboks come into the World Cup defence with record wins over Wales and the All Blacks and look like a smoothly running machine. The amount of depth they have created in their squad means they have the luxury of almost two players in any position that can slot in at any time.
And while the Boks have shaken the rugby world again with their seven-one split on the bench where they basically replaced the entire pack at the 46-minute mark, they have shown more than once that they are the masters of innovation.
For all the experimentation between the World Cups, and mixed results, they are primed for knockout rugby and have a simple game plan, focusing on their own DNA as well as more than a smattering of pace and flair on the outside.
BROADCAST DETAILS
A 24-hour SuperSport channel dedicated to the Rugby World Cup will be just one of many highlights of the seven-week event.
All 48 matches will be broadcast and streamed live (via the all-new DStv Stream) on the Home of Sport with dedicated magazine shows and support programming designed to give fans the total rugby package.
Apart from having the most accomplished group of analysts, among them former World Cup champions in Schalk Burger, John Smit, Jean de Villiers, Victor Matfield, JP Pietersen, Frans Steyn, Schalk Brits and Jake White, several other experts will be part of SuperSport’s programming, including George Gregan, Justin Marshall, Hanyani Shimange, Gcobani Bobo, Nick Mallett, Joe van Niekerk and John Plumtree.
An all-new show – Mayibuye - will also debut on the eve of the tournament. Meaning “bring it back”, Mayibuye is intended to take the broader rugby community along for the World Cup ride.
Mayibuye will be available to all DStv packages.
Mayibuye 🗣️
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 30, 2023
Join @KM12SPORT, @skara2ntubeni, @Akona14, @Kookie_Kuhle, @NandeFunani and Aphiwe Dyantyi for the first episode as we build towards #RWC2023 🏆
📺 Friday night from 6PM on Variety 4. pic.twitter.com/MF0cuxZTxG
Match build-ups – one hour for the group stages and quarterfinals – will focus on form, tactics, key players and prevailing themes, and will be two hours for the semifinals and final. Post-match analysis will also be a standard feature.
Match presentations will be anchored by the polished trio of Motshidisi Mohono, Owen Nkumane and Sam Ludidi.
All matches will have multiple language options (English – international, English, Afrikaans, and Xhosa).
SS Rugby, available to Premium subscribers, will become a 24-hour channel for the duration of the tournament, ensuring that those who miss the live action can watch repeats and assorted programming covering events in France. All matches will also be available on SS Grandstand.
SuperSport’s embedded crew will provide daily reports of life and happenings inside the Springbok camp, much of which will feature on Blitz’s rolling news channel.
Covering the action from the heart of France will be Matt Pearce, Hanyani Shimange and the inimitable pair of De Villiers and Burger. Be sure to look out for their “Burger and Chirps” segments that will regularly illuminate SuperSport’s coverage.
For those wanting more, DStv’s Catch Up service will have a dedicated RWC section that will have seven-minute and 26-minute highlight packages for each match.
There will be full match repeats for all SA games, as well as all knockout games.