Rugby World Cup: All the team news for the opening weekend

Fri, Sep 8, 2023, 12:12 PM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson
Rugby World Cup 2023 is finally here as teams descend on France. Photo: Getty Images
Rugby World Cup 2023 is finally here as teams descend on France. Photo: Getty Images

Rugby World Cup 2023 is finally here as teams descend on France.

The tournament will kick off with the hosts taking on the All Blacks at Stade de France on September 9.

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For the Wallabies, they will kick off their campaign the following day against Georgia in Paris.

It shapes to be a blockbuster weekend of action, with the Springboks facing Scotland whilst England take on Argentina.

Check out all the details for every Rugby World Cup team for week one as they drop:

Saturday, September 9: France v New Zealand, Stade de France, Paris (5:15 AM)

France (15-1): Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Yoram Moefana, Gabin Villiere; Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Dupont; Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, Francois Cros; Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki; Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi

Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, Paul Boudehent, Maxime Lucu, Arthur Vincent, Melvyn Jaminet

New Zealand (15-1): Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Telea, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Dalton Papali'i, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Nepo Laulaua.

Replacements: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa'i, Luke Jacobson, Finlay Christie, David Havili, Leicester Fainga'anuku

Saturday, September 9: Italy v Namibia, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne (9:00 PM)

Italy (15-1): Tommaso Allan; Ange Capuozzo, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro (capt), Sebastian Negri; Federico Ruzza, Dino Lamb; Simone Ferrari, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: Hame Faiva, Ivan Nemer, Marco Riccioni, David Sisi, Manuel Zuliani, Martin Page-Relo, Paolo Odogwu, Pierre Bruno

Namibia (15-1): Divan Rossouw, Gerswin Mouton, Johan Deysel (c), Danco Burher, JC Greyling, Tiaan Swanepoel, Damian Stevens, Richard Hardwick, Johan Retief, Wian Conradie, Tijuee Uanivi, Adriaan Ludick, Johan Coetzee, Tortsen Van Jaarsveld, Desiderius Sethie

Replacements: Louis van der Westhuizen, Jason Benade, Casper Viviers, Tiaan de Klerk, Prince Gaoseb, Jacques Theron, Andre van der Bergh, Le Roux Malan

Saturday, September 9: Ireland v Romania, Stade de Bordeaux (11:30 PM)

Ireland (15-1): Hugo Keenan; Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton, Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris, Peter O'Mahony, Tadhg Beirne; James Ryan, Joe McCarthy; Tadhg Furlong, Rob Herring, Andrew Porter

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Tom O'Toole, Iain Henderson, Josh van der Flier, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Robbie Henshaw

Romania (15-1): Marius Simionescu, Nicolas Onutu, Fonovai Tangimana, Jason Tomane, Tevita Manumua, Hinckley Vaovasa, Gabriel Rupanu, Christan Chirica, Vlad Neculau, Florian Rosu, Stefan Iancu, Adrian Motoc, Alexandru Gordas, Ovidiu Cojocaru, Iulian Hartig

Replacements: Florin Bardasu, Alexandru Savin, Gheorghe Gajion, Marius Iftimiciuc, Dragos Ser, Alin Conache, Tudor Boldor, Taylor Gontineac

Sunday, September 10: Australia v Georgia, Stade de France, Paris (2:00 AM)

Wallabies (15-1): Ben Donaldson; Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete; Carter Gordon, Tate McDermott; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper; Will Skelton, Richie Arnold; Taniela Tupou, David Porecki, Angus Bell

Replacements: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, Zane Nonggorr, Matt Philip, Rob Leota, Langi Gleeson, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Ben Donaldson

Georgia (15-1): Davit Niniashvili, Akaki Tabutsadze, Demur Tapladze, Merab Sharikadze (capt), Mirian Modebadze, Luka Matkava, Vaso Lobzhanidze, Beka Gorgadze, Luka Ivanishvili, Tornike Jalaghonia, Kote Mikautadze, Nodar Cheishvili, Guram Papidze, Shalva Mamukashvili, .

Replacements: Tengizi Zamtaradze, Guram Gogichashvili, Beka Gigashvili, Lasha Jaiani, Giorgi Tsutskiridze, Gela Aprasidze, Tedo Abzhandadze, Giorgi Kveseladze.

Sunday, September 10: England v Argentina, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille (5:00 AM)

England (15-1): Freddie Steward, Jonny May, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Elliot Daly, George Ford, Alex Mitchell, Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Courtney Laes (c), Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje, Dan Coles, Jamie George, Ellis Genge

Replacements: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, George Martin, Lewis Ludlam, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Ollie Lawrence.

Argentina (15-1): Juan Cruz Mallia, Emiliano Boffelli, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera, Tomas Lavanini, Matias Alemanno, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (capt), Thomas Gallo.

Replacements: Augustin Creevy, Joel Sclavi, Eduardo Bello, Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo, Rodrigo Bruni, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Matias Moroni.

Sunday, September 10: Japan v Chile, Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse (9:00 PM)

Japan (15-1):  Semisi Masirewa; Kotaro Matsushima, Dylan Riley, Ryoto Nakamura, Jone Naikabula; Rikiya Matsuda, Yutaka Nagare; Kazuki Himeno (capt), Kanji Shimokawa, Michael Leitch; Amato Fakatava; Jack Cornelsen, Jiwon Gu, Atsushi Sakate, Keita Inagaki

Replacements: Shota Horie, Craig Millar, Asaeli Ai Valu, Warner Dearns, Shota Fukui, Naoto Saito, Tomoki Osada, Lomano Lemeki

Chile (15-1): Inaki Ayarza; Santiago Videla, Domingo Saavedra, Matias Garafulic, Franco Velarde;   Rodrigo Fernandez, Marcelo Torrealba; Alfonso Escobar, Raimundo Martinez, Martin Sigren (capt); Javier Eissmann, Clemente Saavedra; Matias Dittus, Diego Escobar, Javier Carrasco

Replacements: Augusto Bohme, Salvador Lues, Inaki Gurruchaga, Pablo Huete, Santiago Pedrero, Ignacio Silva, Lukas Carvallo, Jose Ignacio Larenas

Monday, September 11: South Africa v Scotland, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille (1:45 AM)

South Africa (15-1): Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Manie Libbok, Faf de Klerk, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Duane Vermeulen, Grant Williams, Willie le Roux.

Scotland (15-1):    Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Ben White; Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge, Jamie Ritchie (capt); Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray; Zander Fagerson, George Turner, Pierre Schoeman

Replacements: Dave Cherry, Jamie Bhatti, WP Nel, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Ali Price, Cameron Redpath, Ollie Smith

Monday, September 11: Wales v Fiji, Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux (5:00 AM)

Wales (15-1): Liam Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies, Taulupe Daletau, Jac Morgan (c), Aaron Wainwright, Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Tomas Francis, Ryan Elias, Gareth Thomas

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Tommy Reffell, Tomos Williams, Sam Costelow, Rio Dyer.

Fiji (15-1): Ilaisa Droasese; Selesitino Ravutaumada, Waisea Nayacalevu (capt), Semi Radradra, Vinaya Habosi; Teti Tela, Frank Lomani; Viliame Mata; Lekima Tagitagivalu, Albert Tuisue; Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, Isoa Nasilasila; Luke Tagi, Samuel Matavesi, Eroni Mawi

Replacements: Tevita Ikanivere, Peni Ravai, Mesake Doge, Temo Mayanavanua, Levani Botia, Simione Kuruvoli, Josua Tuisova, Sireli Maqala

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