2023 Rugby World Cup preview and predictions

A bone-crunching, knuckle-gnawing, stud-scraping fiesta of scrumming, mauling, kicking and sprinting takes centre stage on Friday September 8 as the Rugby World Cup gets underway in France.

Holders South Africa are pledging to defend their crown and win their fourth title to become the most successful international team in World Cup history, edging ahead of New Zealand by one.

Hosts France will also fancy their chances to break their Rugby World Cup duck. The three-time runners-up have a lot of pain to put right and will hope to use a passionate home support and World Cup final anguish fuel for their fight for glory.

England have been stuttering in the build-up to the tournament but it would be foolish to write them off while Wales, Scotland and Ireland will fancy getting their hands on a debut title.

Pre-tournament favourites New Zealand are always likely to be in the mix, while a win for Australia would bring them level alongside the All Blacks and the Springboks as the most successful side in the tournament's history.

Here, BetMGM analyses the leading runners and riders in our comprehensive Rugby World Cup tournament preview.

Remember, with our Golden Try promotion you boost your profit by 100% on your Rugby World Cup winner bet. Stake up to £20 on the tournament outright winner market and select the Profit Boost – if it comes in you will receive 100% in extra winnings.

Plus every time England advance in the tournament you get a 10% Profit Boost which will be available in your account each Monday within 96 hours after the qualifying position is reached. T&Cs apply. Read more about Golden Try here..

New Zealand

Head Coach: Ian Foster; Captain: Sam Cane; Key Player: Scott Barrett; World Ranking: 4th; Odds: 3/1.

The All Blacks are not the force of old, but a chastening series defeat to Ireland in 2022 seems to have jolted them back into some rhythm, and they come into this Rugby World Cup as justifiable favourites.

Before a heavy 37-5 defeat to South Africa at Twickenham in August, they had won 10 and drawn one of their previous 11 matches, scoring more than 35 points in seven of those 11 matches.

Head coach Ian Foster, whose card was marked for a resignation for what seemed like an eternity by those in New Zealand, has ridden out the intense pressure but will step aside come the end of the tournament. He will be highly motivated to tick off his tenure in triumph.

They will be there or thereabouts come the end of the tournament and it would take a brave bettor to back against them. But Rugby Union is a brave game and, in the spirit of this bravery, we are going with a bold shout: this All Blacks side will not be in the final.

Prediction: Semi-finals

France

Head Coach: Fabien Galthié; Captain: Antoine Dupont; Key Player: Antoine Dupont; World Ranking: 3rd; Odds: 3/1.

Born entertainers, the French have the flair, the va-va-voom and the creativity to spark a victorious showing on home soil. In fact, it would be a massive disappointment for the country's renowned vociferous fan base to fall short of anything other than a final appearance.

Coach Fabien Galthié was a former scrum-half and knows a thing or two about attractive rugby – he played a crucial role in helping his side defeat New Zealand in the 1999 Rugby World Cup semi-final after all. He has also led his country to a first Grand Slam since taking the reigns while leading them to a perfect season in 2022, with Les Bleus winning all 13 matches in which they participated.

They have the tools and, in Antoine Dupont, a genuine generational talent that transcends the sport and is renowned the world over as the best player on the planet at the moment.

If France win the entire competition it’s fair to assume Dupont will be in the running for the tournament’s best player, an award he has won three times at the Six Nations since 2020. At odds of 7/1 with BetMGM he is the favourite – and justifiably so.

They will finally get their hands on the trophy on home turf.

Prediction: Winners

South Africa

Head Coach: Jacques Nienaber; Captain: Siya Kolisi; Key Player: Manie Libbok; World Ranking: 2nd; Odds: 3/1.

It has not been plain sailing for the Springboks since winning the World Cup four years ago but a mauling of the All Blacks earlier this year capped some impressive form rolling into the tournament.

Some context: in 2022 they won 50% of their international matches whereas so far in 2023 they have won five of their six contests while averaging 32 points per match.

Under the guidance of former defence coach Jacques Nienaber, who was promoted ahead of outspoken firecracker Rassie Erasmus to the top job in 2020, there appears to be more focus within the group. Still, whether he can coax a defence of their crown out of his fairly experimental squad remains to be seen.

Keep an eye out for fly-half Manie Libbok who is explosive, a consistent passer and a dangerous kicker. He scored 34 points in just three internationals in August and could well be in the mix for finishing the Rugby World Cup as top point scorer.

You can back him at odds of 13/2 with BetMGM to score more points than anyone else. He may have the ingenuity required to lead this side deep into the tournament.

Prediction: Semi-finals

Ireland

Head Coach: Andy Farrell; Captain: Johnny Sexton; Key Player: Joe McCarthy; World Ranking: 1st; Odds: 5/1.

The team ranked number one in the world faces the invidious prospect of a group stage exit after being drafted in one of the most challenging pools in World Cup history.

They must overcome defending champions South Africa and one of the most complete Scotland outfits of recent times while navigating dangerous-looking outsiders Tonga. Their reward should they manage this? Likely one of France or New Zealand in the quarter-finals.

Put it this way: if Andy Farrell's men make it past the quarter-finals for the first time, they will be in a powerful position to win the entire tournament.

They have won their previous 14 matches, last losing to France in a closely-fought Six Nations tie back in February 2022, while in 38-year-old Johnny Sexton they have a vastly-experienced skipper to guide them through the group of death.

Add 22-year-old, 6ft 6in, 18st 8lb second-row Joe McCarthy into the mix and they also possess a forceful tighthead lock ready to wreak havoc.

In short – Ireland have the form, the coach and the experience to make a real impact at this World Cup.

Prediction: Finalists

Australia

Head Coach: Eddie Jones; Co-captains: Will Skelton & Tate McDermott; Key Player: Mark Nawaqanitawase; World Ranking: 9th; Odds: 14/1.

There was tension in the air when former England head coach Eddie Jones revealed the Australian squad. He was dismayed at the apparent lack of enthusiasm for his selections by the national media and said as much himself.

"The experts have written us off,” he said. “No one believes we can do it, but we believe. The coaches and players believe and that's all that matters."

Believe they might but the uncertainty surrounding his squad appears rooted in their relative inexperience; the Wallabies have an average squad age of 25.8 with only five players older than 30 on the books.

What’s more, only six of 33 players have competed in more than 30 Tests while there will be 15 players with five caps or fewer – that’s one more than the combined total of six squads from 2003 to 2019.

A lot will rest on the shoulders of 31-year-old winger Marika Koroibete and 30-year-old inside centre Samu Kerevi – both can provide quality but they will also need to lead by example.

All hopeful eyes Down Under will rest on the talents of prop Angus Bell, fly-half Carter Gordon and winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, the latter of whom we are earmarking to have a show-stopping tournament.

Tricky, quick and skilful, the 22-year-old enters the contest in good form with four tries in his previous seven outings in Australian colours. You can back him at odds of 33/1 to finish the tournament’s top try scorer with BetMGM if you fancy the Wallabies to make a deep run.

However, we feel more than youthful vitality will be needed for the Australians at this one.

Prediction: Quarter-finals

England

Head Coach: Steve Borthwick; Captain: Owen Farrell; Key Player: George Ford; World Ranking: 8th; Odds: 14/1.

The fact that England are narrow underdogs against Argentina coming into the opening tie suggests that progression under Steve Borthwick is stalling – and that's if you are being kind.

A warm-up defeat to Fiji was an eye-opener for all England rugby supporters, who have endured a horrific run of form over the past 12 months. They have lost five of their last six matches while scoring an average of just 14.3 points per match and conceding 29.6.

They will also be without captain Owen Farrell for the first two games of the tournament after a nasty high tackle in the warm-up match against Wales saw a four-game ban imposed on the fly-half.

At the same time, number eight Billy Vunipola was handed a three-game ban for a high tackle in the warm-up defeat to Ireland. An injury to Anthony Watson means he won't play any part in the tournament while Tom Curry, Elliot Daly and Courtney Lawes – the vice-captain ready to step in for Farrell – are also nursing knocks.

The one chink of light for England is the pool they have been handed. Despite their woes, they should still be able to navigate Argentina, Japan, Chile and Samoa. They won’t get much further than that, though.

Prediction: Quarter-finals

Scotland

Head Coach: Gregor Townsend; Captain: Jamie Ritchie; Key Player: Rory Darge; World Ranking: 5th; Odds: 33/1.

There is no team more enigmatic coming into this tournament than the Scots.

Brimming with dynamism and strategic execution, Gregor Townsend has got his team performing well in the lead-up to the World Cup with four wins from five, including a surprise 25-21 victory over hosts and joint-favourites France.

Across all five matches, they scored 25 points or more, highlighting that their attack will pack a punch.

With their exceptional ball-handling skills and elite athleticism, key players such as captain Jamie Ritchie and fly-half Finn Russell have the potential to make a significant impact. Russell, especially, brings a world-class tinge to a squad teeming with talent and potential.

The incredibly competitive nature of their group is where they may struggle and likely fall. They must overcome holders South Africa and the world's number one ranked team in Ireland just to make it to the quarters.

As such, we reckon they will come up just short.

Prediction: Pool stage

Wales

Head Coach: Warren Gatland; Co-captains: Jac Morgan & Dewi Lake; Key Player: Louis Rees-Zammit; World Ranking: 10th; Odds: 33/1.

It's hard to build a case for a team beset by off-field drama and less-than-convincing warm-up displays. Their latest – a 52-16 defeat to South Africa back in August – will still be ringing in the ears of the squad and fans alike.

They finished fifth in the 2023 Six Nations when it looked like they may not even be able to field a team at one point, and there are new faces galore at the World Cup in a rejigged squad.

With all that being said, it remains hard to write off Wales completely. They have a group from which it is feasible they can qualify – though they must beat one of Fiji or Australia. Achieve that, and they are likely to advance.

In Louis Rees-Zammit, they have a dazzling winger capable of incredible speed; he was recorded completing a 100-metre sprint in 10.44 seconds at an unofficial indoor run earlier in the summer, a time that would have placed him eighth at the UK Athletics Championships.

Perhaps a quarter-final berth could be considered a success for this group, and we're backing them to make it.

Prediction: Quarter-finals

Rugby World Cup Schedule and Where to Watch

Pool Stage

The pool stage runs for a month, from Friday 8 September to Sunday 8 October. The groups are:

The teams who qualify from their sections then have at least a six-day break before the start of the knockout stages. Those are scheduled as follows:

Quarter-finals

Saturday 14 October: Winner Pool C vs Runner-up Pool D [QF 1]; Winner Pool B vs Runner-up Pool A [QF 2]. Sunday 15 October: Winner Pool D vs Runner-up Pool C [QF 3]; Winner Pool A vs Runner-up Pool B [QF 4].

Semi-finals

Friday 20 October: Winner QF 1 vs Winner QF 2 [SF 1]. Saturday 21 October: Winner QF 3 vs Winner QF 4 [SF 2].

Bronze Final (third-place play-off)

Friday 27 October: Runner-up SF 1 vs Runner-up SF 2.

Rugby World Cup Final

Saturday 28 October: Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2.

All matches are live in the UK on ITV, ITV4 and S4C.

Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation

Golden Try Terms and Conditions

Opt-in required. Valid from 09:00 on 04/09/23 to 23:59 on 12/10/23. Max stake £20 for 100% Profit Boost on Rugby World Cup Outright Winner market & max win £100k. Extra 10% Profit Boost every time England advance in tournament position. Max stake £20 & max win £10k with 3 day expiry. Cashed out & partially cashed out bets excluded. T&Cs apply.

The 2024 Six Nations Championship begins on Friday, 2nd February, with 15 games to come between the top teams in the Northern Hemisphere.

It was Ireland that took the title in 2023, also securing the Grand Slam, but a lot has changed in the last 12 months and it promises to be a fascinating tournament.

No fewer than three of the six teams will have new captains, with several nations looking to rebuild after last year’s World Cup.

France were the victors two years ago and Fabien Galthie’s men will look to bounce back from the disappointment of failing to lift the Webb Ellis Cup on home soil.

Tip 1 – France to win the Six Nations @ 11/10

Champions in 2022, Les Bleus finished second last year with defeat to Ireland in Dublin ending their hopes of back-to-back Six Nations titles.

France look to have a perfect mix of youth and experience in their squad and the fixture list has also been kind to Galthie’s squad.

Three of their five matches take place on French soil and their two away fixtures are in Scotland and Wales, two teams who appear to be in transition.

The French scored more points than anyone else in the 2023 Championship (174), running in 21 tries and two of their players topping the scoring charts.

Winger Damian Penaud crossed the whitewash five times to be the tournament’s top try scorer, while full-back Thomas Ramos scored 84 points – a massive 49 points more than second-placed Johnny Sexton.

Ramos is also top points scorer in this season’s Champions Cup, while French teams – Toulouse and Bordeaux Begles – currently top two of the four pools in Europe’s top club competition.

Tip 2 – England Top Try Scorer – Immanuel Feyi-Waboso @ 7/2

After reaching the World Cup semi-finals last year, confidence should be high in the England camp, despite the loss of their former captain Owen Farrell.

The Saracens star decided in late 2023 to take a break from international rugby and that has led to the appointment of Jamie George as the new skipper.

No fewer than 15 of their 36-man training squad are under the age of 25 and that looks to signify the start of a new era under coach Steve Borthwick.

One of those new players that’s set to make a big impact is Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who looks likely to make his debut against Italy in Rome.

The Exeter winger, who chose to play for England despite being born in Wales, is just 21 but could have a big future ahead of him on the biggest stage.

The Chiefs are currently the top points scorers in the 2023-24 Gallagher Premiership, with Feyo-Waboso crossing five times in 11 appearances for his club side.

Tip 3 – Ireland: Exact wins by team – 3 @ 2/1

The big question hanging over the defending champions is how much they will be impacted by the retirement of Johnny Sexton.

As well as being Ireland’s all-time points scorer, Sexton’s example as the team skipper will be hugely missed and his departure looks set to leave a big gap in the squad.

Experienced back-row Peter O’Mahony will take the captain’s armband, but coach Andy Farrell has to decide who is the best option to replace the legendary Sexton at fly-half.

The three stand-offs in the Ireland squad have a combined total of 12 caps between them, but it’s Munster’s Jack Crowley who looks set to be handed the chance to start in the Six Nations opener, against France in Marseille.

Sexton is not the only big miss for new British & Irish Lions coach Farrell, who will also be without winger Mack Hansen due to injury.

Ireland are likely to be strong enough to win their three matches at the Aviva Stadium against Italy, Wales and Scotland but it could be a different story on the road.

The men in green will start at the Stade de France, with their other away game coming at Twickenham on Saturday, 9th March.

It’s the first weekend in February – so it must be Six Nations time. This year’s tournament kicks off with a huge showdown in Marseille as France and Ireland, Grand Slam winners in the last two years, go head-to-head on Friday evening.

England start their campaign against Italy in Rome on Saturday while the opening weekend is rounded off with a fascinating contest between Wales and Scotland at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

Tip 1 – Under 44.5 points in France vs Ireland @ 21/20

These teams have dominated the Six Nations in the last two years and head the betting again. Their scoring power stood out last year as they scored 41 tries between them from a tournament total of 91 but they may have to approach things differently in this clash.

France have a new half-back pairing in the absence of star names Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, while Ireland are without retired fly-half Johnny Sexton who has been the heartbeat of the side for more than a decade.

New combinations take time to click into gear and, given the stakes are so high, a low-risk approach looks most likely as the teams probe for territory and aim to keep a lid on the game.

Their powerful pack and a vociferous home crowd ought to give France the edge but Ireland will be only too aware of the challenge they face and master tactician Andy Farrell will have his troops well drilled.

The last two meetings in France have topped the 50-point mark but before that we had a run of nine head-to-heads at all venues in which none featured more than 42 points.

Tip 2 – England to beat Italy by 11 to 20 points @ 47/20

England have made a habit of winning big when they travel to face Italy in the Six Nations. They have covered big handicaps in four of their last five visits to the Stadio Olimpico and in those matches they have outscored the Azzurri by 29 tries to three.

There will be an unfamiliar backline running out in Rome this time though. Fly-half Owen Farrell has withdrawn from the England squad for this tournament while – of the backs who started the World Cup semi-final against South Africa in the autumn – Jonny May, Joe Marchant and Manu Tuilagi are all missing.

Head coach Steve Borthwick has named six uncapped backs in his squad and, while the fixture list has fallen kindly with their opening two matches coming against the two teams furthest down the title betting market in Italy and Wales, it’s likely that the new combinations in attack and defence will take time to bed in.

In their last three matches in Rome England have been asked to cover handicaps in the 20s but the line is down to 16.5 as the favourites ring the changes in their squad and the Azzurri have found more of an attacking edge.

England should still win fairly comfortably but a handicap bet at odds-on is hard to weigh up so backing an away victory by a margin of 11 to 20 points may be the way to go.

Tip 3 – Scotland -2.5 vs Wales 17/20

A trip to Cardiff first up might have been a concern for Scotland, who have not won at the Principality Stadium since 2002, but instead they have every reason to be confident.

While so many teams are rebuilding after the World Cup, Scotland have the most settled squad, still directed by fly-half Finn Russell and with dangerous backs.

Where they may fall short in some matches is up front but in this fixture they come up against a Wales squad facing a bigger player exodus than most which has left them with an inexperienced group, particularly in the front five.

The tide may well be turning in favour of Scotland in this head-to-head. They did win the 2020 Six Nations meeting at an empty Parc y Scarlets, then lost by just three points in their last clash in Cardiff in 2022 before running up a record score to claim a historic 35-7 victory over the Welsh at Murrayfield last year.

The Scots had a disappointing World Cup but have a far better chance of hitting the ground running on Saturday and a win by three points or more looks well within their compass.

The Six Nations returns after a weekend off, with the Calcutta Cup match between Scotland and England the highlight of the middle round of fixtures.

The annual clash takes place at Murrayfield at 16:45 on Saturday, with Ireland and Wales kicking off the programme in Dublin at 14:15.

It is then on to Lille, where France and Italy clash at 15:00 on Sunday.

Tip One - Ireland to beat Wales by 11-20 points @ 5/2

Ireland's 38-17 opening win in France has set them up for unprecedented back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams.

Andy Farrell used the following week's dominant 36-0 victory over Italy to rotate his squad and experiment with their attacking patterns.

Saturday's opponents Wales have lost both of their games, almost coming from 27-0 down to lose 27-26 to Scotland, before their naivety arguably got the better of them in the 16-14 loss to England.

Warren Gatland was clearly pleased with what he saw at Twickenham, making only one change, with fly-half Sam Castelow recalled for the benched Ioan Lloyd.

Gatland will have identified areas for his team to target, but a first away Six Nations win in Dublin since 2012 appears unlikely.

Wales will look to frustrate the Irish, but Farrell's side have been brilliant this Six Nations. They might find things tougher than anticipated early on, but their class should eventually tell.

Tip Two - England to beat Scotland @ 5/4

Scotland have dominated the Calcutta Cup clashes recently, lifting the trophy in 2021, 2022 and 2023. It means they are the deserved 11/20 favourites heading into this Saturday's match, but that is a status they have traditionally struggled with.

Gregor Townsend's side were fortunate in their first game, almost squandering a big lead in Cardiff, while they were also the better side for long stretches of their 20-16 defeat to France.

They may feel they were on the wrong end of a final-play refereeing call, but had earlier chances to put Les Bleus away and the game should have been sewn up.

In contrast, England have edged to wins over Italy (27-24) and Wales and, although unlikely, are still in the running for the Grand Slam.

Winning at Murrayfield would give them tremendous confidence and there is a feeling that Steve Borthwick could pick a physical side, with even more muscle coming off the bench in anticipation of the Scots dropping off in intensity, as has been the case in both of their matches.

After employing a limited gameplan in guiding his side to Bronze at last year's World Cup, Borthwick promised they would play with more adventure in the Six Nations.

The Red Rose have been more expansive, but even with the forecast set fair for running rugby, winning is all that matters and they may turn Saturday's game into an arm wrestle.

If so, England's 5/4 to win is worth considering. Scotland have a more settled side, but the defeat to France exposed familiar fragility.

Borthwick's team are very much a work in progress but a back-to-basics approach may see them reclaim the Calcutta Cup.

Tip Three - France to beat Italy by 1-12 points @ 17/4

Finally, to Sunday's game between France and Italy in Lille, as the Stade de France undergoes a makeover ahead of this summer's Paris Olympics.

Les Bleus were outclassed in their opening defeat to Ireland before riding their luck in squeezing past the Scots.

After crashing out of last year's home World Cup, rumours immediately surfaced regarding the squad's relationship with coach Fabien Galthie and his team's performances have done little to quell the speculation.

Not having captain Antoine Dupont available has also been problematic, but his replacement at scrum-half, Maxime Lucu, was much-improved at Murrayfield and should be able to guide his team to victory over Italy.

Lucu starred in his team's 60-7 win over Sunday's opponents during the group stages of the World Cup, but the Azzurri showed signs of potential in their narrow defeat to England and should be able to recall some of the key names who missed the defeat in Ireland.

The handicap is set at -27.5 in France's favour, but the Italians look to be underestimated, especially after losing by just five points when the pair met last year in Rome.

If there is uncertainty in the French camp, Sunday's match will expose it.

Les Bleus should battle through, but there is real value in expecting Gonzalo Quesada's visitors to run them close and a home win by 1-12 points is a tempting price at 17/4.