It’s the moment you’ve been waiting four long years for. On Friday night the rugby world will stop. And the much-anticipated Rugby World Cup will begin.
A journey that has taken four years since Siya Kolisi lifted the Webb Ellis trophy has seen life-changing events, a pandemic, and so many breathtaking moments in the game we all love.
But for the next eight weeks the battle will commence - and what happens on the fields in France will be all that will matter.
There will be heartbreak and pain. But there will be moments of passion and glory. A chance for players to become legends, household names. To create a legacy that cannot be forgotten.
France 2023 is upon us and on Friday night the ultimate battle will begin.
So get ready, make sure you have your braai and your SuperSport subscription ready, and prepare for eight weeks of heart-stopping action.
Eight weeks of tries and big hits. Eight weeks of “Did you see that?”. Eight weeks that will crown a winner and sort the champions from the pretenders to the throne.
So here is a guide to the tournament - how to get the best out of your viewing experience and how to enjoy these moments to the fullest.
WHEN DOES IT KICK OFF?
Friday night at 9:15pm (CAT, GMT+2) is the moment the action begins.
And what a heart-stopper to kick off the tournament. Far from being just another game, tournament hosts France (ranked three in the world) and the All Blacks (New Zealand is ranked fourth) will start the tournament with a clash that is possibly the most important pool game of the entire tournament.
The French - under Fabien Galthie - have built a fearsome reputation in Paris, having beaten all the world’s top sides there in the past two years. Panache and flair come naturally to his side, led by the World’s top player - Antoine Dupont - and in front of a nation that expects nothing less than greatness.
The All Blacks are under the pump - they were soundly smashed by the Springboks in their worst defeat in history (35-7 at Twickenham) a fortnight ago. There are doubts and questions about their coach and captain, but anyone who knows rugby knows a backlash is expected.
Will the backlash come and will it be strong enough to beat Gathie’s magicians in their own backyard.
All of it will be live - on your World of Champions - on Friday night.
WHEN ARE THE SPRINGBOKS PLAYING?
Siya Kolisi will get his side into the action on Sunday when they face a tricky opening encounter against World No 5 Scotland. The defending champions are in fine form, coming into the tournament with record wins over Wales and New Zealand and depth that other sides can only be envious of.
With young stars like Canan Moodie, the power of the bomb squad and possibly the best forward pack in the tournament, the Boks know the expectations are on their shoulders.
Scotland have risen from outsiders to being a quality outfit that can compete with the best, and who never seem to go away. With South African-born players like Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman and others they won’t be overawed by the Boks presence.
As an opening clash it is tricky, but it will set the tone for the Boks in the tournament.
The game kicks off at 17:45 (CAT, GMT+2) on Sunday, with a full studio build up before the match.
WHY IS THE TOURNAMENT IN FRANCE?
A bit of a sticking point, and one that South Africans will remember, SA Rugby’s bid for the tournament was described as being technically the best by the World Cup bid committee several years ago, and South Africa looked to be the favourites to host the tournament. But overnight several nations changed their votes after lobbying by France, and the tournament was handed to the nation by the voting process.
THE VENUES
Stade de France, Saint Denis. Capacity 80 023.
Stade de Marseille, Marseille. Capacity 67 847.
OL Stadium, Lyon. Capacity 58 883.
Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille. Capacity 50 096.
Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux. Capacity 42 060.
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne. Capacity 41 965.
Stade de Nice, Nice. Capacity 35 983.
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes. Capacity 35 520.
Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse. Capacity 33 103.
WHAT ARE THE RUGBY WORLD CUP POOLS?
Pool A New Zealand, France, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia
Pool B South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Romania
Pool C Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal
Pool D England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Chile
WHY IS THE DRAW SO LOPSIDED?
This refers to the “half of death”, as it has been dubbed, which saw the world’s top five ranked nations (as per the current world rankings) all on the same side of the draw. Ireland (1), South Africa (2), and Scotland are in Pool B while France (3) and New Zealand (4) are in Pool A.
This happened after a change in the system when the draw was done three years out, and was based on the rankings done at the time. Teams have changed and the power shift north in the past few years has been massive, hence the lopsided pools.
What it does do is ensure that the pool stages aren’t dead rubbers, and that there are several do-or-die games on the one half of the pool at least.
“It’s knockout rugby from game one,” Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said in the lead-up to the tournament.
The reality is that two of the top four won’t make it past the quarterfinals, but that also opens up a range of possibilities from the other half of the draw, which could spring a few surprises.
CAN A MINNOW HAVE A LONG RUN?
The short answer is yes - with the draw being lopsided, the most likely surprise is to come from the other half of the draw. Pacific Island nations Fiji and Samoa have already put in some big showings, with Fiji’s upset of England at Twickenham sending out a massive warning to other nations.
Forward power pack Georgia could also surprise but other than these there isn’t likely to be a massive surprise package. Japan look a shadow of themselves from 2019 and have had a poor build-up to the tournament.
But with Australia, England, and Wales (the three biggest sides on this half of the draw) all having poor international seasons, the door is open for a minnow to do well. That being said, if one of the nations, Argentina included, pick up momentum, they could easily find themselves in the semifinals with a lot of momentum on their side.
WHO ARE THE PLAYERS TO WATCH?
It would take a lifetime to name all of them, but here are five key players who should make an impact on the tournament
1. Antoine Dupont (France) - The World’s best player with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Expected to lead France to the promised land.
2. Shannon Frizzell (New Zealand) - the big, bullocking flanker who bulldozed the Boks in Auckland. Currently injured but should return in time to create a few highlight reels.
3. Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland) - The British and Irish Lion who played his junior rugby in Pretoria. A mixture of power and pace that shouldn’t be ignored
4. Canan Moodie (South Africa) - 20-years old and already a superstar, Moodie has kicked the door down to become the hottest star in South Africa and should have a massive impact on the tournament.
5. Ange Capuozzo (Italy) - The 2022 World Breakthrough star is back from injury and destined to make his name heard at the tournament.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR WORLD OF CHAMPIONS?
All 48 matches will be broadcast live and SuperSport has a dedicated 24-hour channel just for the tournament, to ensure you never miss a moment. World Cup winners Schalk Burger, John Smit, Jean de Villiers, Victor Matfield, JP Pietersen, Frans Steyn, Schalk Brits, and Jake White will all provide insight with internationals such as George Gregan and Justin Marshall.
Add to that a host of magazine shows and insights and it’s a jam-packed viewing experience. All of that can be found here.
RUGBY WORLD CUP KEY UPDATES
Pool stage September 8-October 8
Quarterfinals October 14/15
Semifinals October 20/21
Final October 28