The 2023 Rugby World Cup will take place from September 8 to October 28 in France. The Romanian national team entered the first 20 participating representative teams.

Rugby World Cup 2023Photo: HotNews.ro, EurActiv.ro

The “Oaks” are included in group B, where Romania will meet the world leader Ireland (September 9, Stade de Bordeaux – Bordeaux, 16:30), world champion South Africa (September 17, Stade de Bordeaux – Bordeaux, 16:00), Scotland – Romania (September 30, Stade Pierre Morois – Lille, 22:00) and Tonga (October 8, Stade Pierre Morois – Lille, 18:45).

Interesting facts about the Rugby World Cup 2023

The edition in France will be special, and the best national teams of the world will be at the start. We are talking about 20 teams, divided into four groups, who will fight for the big trophy.

The two best teams from each group will advance to the quarter-final tournament in France. The opening match is between France and New Zealand on Friday 8 September at the Stade de France, kick off at 10pm.

The competition will also conclude at the Stade de France on October 28 with the grand final at 10:00 p.m.

South Africa is the team with the highest average age

Reigning world champions South Africa are building on their 2019 principles to complete the double. With the same backbone as in Japan, Jacques Nienaber assembled an experienced team. With an average player age of 29.8 years, South Africa are the oldest team in the competition.

Australia is the youngest team at the competition

Australia is the youngest team with an average age of 25.8 years. A symbol of his team’s youth, Waratahs defender Max Jorgensen is the youngest player at the World Cup. He turned 19 just six days before the start of the World Cup on September 2.

Pieter Jan van Lille is the oldest player

39-year-old Pieter Jan van Lille will take part in his fourth World Cup with Namibia. At this tournament in 2023, he will be the oldest player in the competition.

The heaviest player – Ben Tameifuna (Tongu): 148 kg

Tongu’s Ben Tameifuna weighs around 148kg, making him the heaviest player at the World Cup. His understudy David Lolohea also weighs 138 kg. The second heaviest player on the scales in all competitions, Winnie Atonio, weighs 145 kg.

Rugby World Cup number: 45

45 is the number of centimeters difference between the tallest and shortest player in this World Cup. And, as fate would have it, they may well meet. Romania second row Stefan Jancu could face Ireland midfielder Craig Casey on day one of the World Cup.

There is a gap between the two players. The Munster ninth player is only 1.65m tall, while the imposing player from CSM Baia Mare is over 2.10m, reports News.ro.

The complete Rugby World Cup 2023 schedule

Below you can see the full schedule of the final tournament, which will be hosted by France from September 8 to October 28, 2023.

Rugby World Cup Group A

Friday, September 8

France – New Zealand (Stade de France – Saint Denis, 22:15)

Saturday, September 9

Italy – Namibia (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, 14:00)

Thursday, September 14

France – Uruguay (Stade Pierre-Maurois – Lille, 22:00)

Friday, September 15

New Zealand – Namibia (Stade de Toulouse – Toulouse, 22:00)

Wednesday, September 20

Italy – Uruguay (Stade de Nice – Nice, 18:45)

Thursday, September 21

France – Namibia (Stade de Marseille – Marseille, 22:00)

Wednesday, September 27

Uruguay – Namibia (OL Stadium – Lyon, 18:45)

Friday, September 29

New Zealand – Italy (OL Stadium – Lyon, 22:00)

Thursday, October 5

New Zealand – Uruguay (Stadium OL – Lyon, 22:00)

Friday, October 6

France – Italy (Stadium OL – Lyon, 22:00)

Rugby World Cup Group B

Saturday, September 9

Ireland – Romania (Stade de Bordeaux – Bordeaux, 16:30)

Sunday, September 10

South Africa – Scotland (Stade de Marseille – Marseille, 18:45)

Saturday, September 16

Ireland – Tonga (Stade de la Beaujolais – Nantes, 22:00)

Sunday, September 17

South Africa – Romania (Stade de Bordeaux – Bordeaux, 16:00)

Saturday, September 23

South Africa – Ireland (Stade de France – Saint Denis, 22:00)

Sunday, September 24

Scotland – Tonga (Stade de Nice – Nice, 18:45)

Saturday, September 30

Scotland – Romania (Stade Pierre-Maurois – Lille, 22:00)

Sunday, October 1

South Africa – Tonga (Stade de Marseille – Marseille, 22:00)

Saturday, October 7

Ireland – Scotland (Stade de France – Saint Denis, 22:00)

Sunday, October 8

Tonga – Romania (Stade Pierre Morois – Lille, 18:45)

Rugby World Cup, Group C

Saturday, September 9

Australia – Georgia (Stade de France – Saint Denis, 19:00)

Sunday, September 10

Wales v Fiji (Stade de Bordeaux v Bordeaux, 22:00)

Saturday, September 16

Wales – Portugal (Stade de Nice – Nice, 18:45)

Sunday, September 17

Australia – Fiji (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard – Saint-Étienne, 18:45)

Saturday, September 23

Georgia – Portugal (Stade de Toulouse – Toulouse, 15:00)

Sunday, September 24

Wales – Australia (OL Stadium – Lyon, 22:00)

Saturday, September 30

Fiji – Georgia (Stade de Bordeaux – Bordeaux, 18:45)

Sunday, October 1

Australia – Portugal (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard – Saint-Etienne, 18:45)

Saturday, October 7

Wales – Georgia (Stade de la Beaujolais – Nantes, 16:00)

Sunday, October 8

Fiji – Portugal (Stade de Toulouse – Toulouse, 22:00)

Rugby World Cup Group D

Saturday, September 9

England – Argentina (Stade de Marseille – Marseille, 22:00)

Sunday, September 10

Japan – Chile (Stade de Toulouse – Toulouse, 14:00)

Saturday, September 16

Samoa – Chile (Stade de Bordeaux – Bordeaux, 16:00)

Sunday, September 17

England – Japan (Stade de Nice – Nice, 22:00)

Friday, September 22

Argentina – Samoa (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard – Saint-Etienne, 18:45)

Saturday, September 23

England – Chile (Stade Pierre-Maurois – Lille, 18:45)

Thursday, September 28

Japan – Samoa (Stade de Toulouse – Toulouse, 22:00)

Saturday, September 30

Argentina – Chile (Stade de la Beaujolais – Nantes, 16:00)

Saturday, October 7

England – Samoa (Stade Pierre-Maurois – Lille, 18:45)

Sunday, October 8

Japan – Argentina (Stade de la Beaujolais – Nantes, 14:00)

Quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup

Saturday, October 14

Q1: Group C winner – Group D runner-up (Stade de Marseille – Marseille, 18:00)

Q2: Group B winner – Group A runner-up (Stade de France – Saint-Denis, 22:00)

Sunday, October 15

Q3: Group D winner – Group C runner-up (Stade de Marseille – Marseille, 18:00)

Q4: Group A winner – Group B runner-up (Stade de France – Saint-Denis, 22:00)

Semi-final of the Rugby World Cup

Friday, October 20

Winner of quarter 1 – Winner of quarter 2 (Stade de France – Saint Denis, 22:00)

Saturday, October 21

Winner of quarter 3 – Winner of quarter 4 (Stade de France – Saint Denis, 22:00)

The second final of the Rugby World Cup

Friday, October 27

Semi-final losers (Stade de France – Saint Denis, 22:00)

The Grand Final of the Rugby World Cup

Saturday, October 28

The winners of the semi-finals (Stade de France – Saint-Denis, 22:00), reports Agerpres.