If the secret to winning major tournaments - or even progressing beyond the quarter-finals - is peaking at the right time, then September 23rd will be circled on Irish calendars after the pool fixtures for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France were released on Friday.<\/p>\n
That is the date Andy Farrell providing he is still at the helm will lead his side into a third round clash with the defending world champions, South Africa, at the Stade de France. A daunting but mouth-watering proposition.<\/p>\n
Ireland will be hoping to head into the fixture on full points, after they were drawn to play two qualifiers in the opening two rounds.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, September 9th they meet the European runners-up in Bordeaux this is likely to be one of Georgia or Russia, who they faced in the 2019 pool stages.<\/p>\n
Irelands second fixture will be played in Nantes against the winner of an Asia-Oceania play-off, with Tonga or Samoa another side they met in 2019 the likely opponents.<\/p>\n
Then its a first trip to the capital and the familiar surroundings of the Stade de France, where the Springboks will be lying in wait.<\/p>\n
Two weeks after a bruising encounter with the world champions they take on Scotland in Paris on October 7th, a fixture which is likely to be a straight shootout for the knockout stages.<\/p>\n
Should they progress, Ireland will then meet the winners or runners-up of Pool A, which includes France and New Zealand, on the weekend of October 14th-15th again at the Stade de France.<\/p>\n
The tournament will be given a highly-charged opening when the hosts meet the All Blacks in Paris for a September 8th curtain-raiser the latest chapter in their storied World Cup history, with the losers knowing they could be facing Ireland in the last-eight.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Wales once again find themselves grouped with Fiji and Australia they meet the Pacific Islanders in the opening round on September 10th before meeting the Wallabies in Lyon in round three.<\/p>\n
England, beaten finalists in 2019, begin their campaign against Argentina in Marseille on September 9th, followed eight days later by a clash with Japan in Nice.<\/p>\n
Attending fixtures still seems a distant dream but details of when and where tickets will go on sale will be announced on March 4th. Fans wishing to register their interest can do so at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com.<\/p>\n
The first tranche of tickets will be made available to World Rugbys official travel partners next month with Killester Travel operating as the Irish agent.<\/p>\n
Friday, September 8th<\/p>\n
Pool AFrance v New Zealand, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Saturday, September 9th<\/p>\n
Pool AItaly v Africa 1, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-tienne<\/p>\n
Pool BIreland v Europe 2, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux<\/p>\n
Pool CAustralia v Europe 1, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Pool DEngland v Argentina, Stade Vlodrome, Marseille<\/p>\n
Sunday, September 10th<\/p>\n
Pool DJapan v Americas 2, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse<\/p>\n
Pool BSouth Africa v Scotland, Stade Vlodrome, Marseille<\/p>\n
Pool CWales v Fiji, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux<\/p>\n
Thursday, September 14th<\/p>\n
Pool AFrance v Americas 1, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille<\/p>\n
Friday, September 15th<\/p>\n
Pool ANew Zealand v Africa 1, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse<\/p>\n
Saturday, September 16th<\/p>\n
Pool DOceania 1 v Americas 2, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux<\/p>\n
Pool CWales v Final Qualifier Winner, Stade De Nice, Nice<\/p>\n
Pool BIreland v Asia \/ Pacific 1, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes<\/p>\n
Sunday, September 17th<\/p>\n
Pool BSouth Africa v Europe 2, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux<\/p>\n
Pool CAustralia v Fiji, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-tienne<\/p>\n
Pool DEngland v Japan, Stade De Nice, Nice<\/p>\n
Wednesday, September 20th<\/p>\n
Pool AItaly v Americas 1, Stade De Nice, Nice<\/p>\n
Thursday, September 21st<\/p>\n
Pool AFrance v Africa 1, Stade Vlodrome, Marseille<\/p>\n
Friday, September 22nd<\/p>\n
Pool DArgentina v Oceania 1, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-tienne<\/p>\n
Saturday, September 23rd<\/p>\n
Pool CEurope 1 v Final Qualifier Winner, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse<\/p>\n
Pool DEngland v Americas 2, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille<\/p>\n
Pool BSouth Africa v Ireland, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Sunday, September 24th<\/p>\n
Pool BScotland v Asia \/ Pacific 1, Stade De Nice, Nice<\/p>\n
Pool CWales v Australia, Parc Ol, Lyon<\/p>\n
Wednesday, September 27th<\/p>\n
Pool AAmericas 1 v Africa 1, Parc Ol, Lyon<\/p>\n
Thursday, September 28th<\/p>\n
Pool DJapan v Oceania 1, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse<\/p>\n
Friday, September 29th<\/p>\n
Pool ANew Zealand v Italy, Parc Ol, Lyon<\/p>\n
Saturday, September 30th<\/p>\n
Pool DArgentina v Americas 2, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes<\/p>\n
Pool CFiji v Europe 1, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux<\/p>\n
Pool BScotland v Europe 2, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille<\/p>\n
Sunday, October 1st<\/p>\n
Pool CAustralia v Final Qualifier Winner, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-tienne<\/p>\n
Pool BSouth Africa v Asia \/ Pacific 1, Stade Vlodrome, Marseille<\/p>\n
Thursday, October 5th<\/p>\n
Pool ANew Zealand v Americas 1, Parc Ol, Lyon<\/p>\n
Friday, October 6th<\/p>\n
Pool AFrance v Italy, Parc Ol, Lyon<\/p>\n
Saturday, October 7th<\/p>\n
Pool CWales v Europe 1, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes<\/p>\n
Pool DEngland v Oceania 1, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille<\/p>\n
Pool BIreland v Scotland, Stade De France, Saint-Denis<\/p>\n
Sunday, October 8th<\/p>\n
Pool DJapan v Argentina, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes<\/p>\n
Pool BAsia \/ Pacific 1 v Europe 2, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille<\/p>\n
Pool CFiji v Final Qualifier Winner, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse<\/p>\n
Saturday, October 14th<\/p>\n
Quarter-Final 1Winner Pool C v Runner-Up Pool D, Stade Vlodrome, Marseille<\/p>\n
Quarter-Final 2Winner Pool B v Runner-Up Pool A, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Sunday, October 15th<\/p>\n
Quarter-Final 3Winner Pool D v Runner-Up Pool C, Stade Vlodrome, Marseille<\/p>\n
Quarter-Final 4Winner Pool A v Runner-Up Pool B, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Friday, October 20th<\/p>\n
Semi-Final 1Winner Quarter-Final 1 v Winner Quarter-Final 2, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Saturday, October 21st<\/p>\n
Semi-Final 2Winner Quarter-Final 3 v Winner Quarter-Final 4, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Friday, October 27th<\/p>\n
Third Placed PlayoffRunner-Up Semi-Final 1 v Runner-Up Semi-Final 2, Stade De France, Paris<\/p>\n
Saturday, October 28th<\/p>\n
FinalWinner Semi-Final 1 v Winner Semi-Final 2, Stade De France, Saint-Denis<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read the original here: <\/p>\n
Rugby World Cup 2023: Ireland to kick-off in Bordeaux - The Irish Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If the secret to winning major tournaments - or even progressing beyond the quarter-finals - is peaking at the right time, then September 23rd will be circled on Irish calendars after the pool fixtures for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France were released on Friday. That is the date Andy Farrell providing he is still at the helm will lead his side into a third round clash with the defending world champions, South Africa, at the Stade de France. Continue reading