Pool A of the 2023 Rugby World Cup began on 8 September 2023 and concluded on 6 October 2023. The pool included hosts France and previous three-time champions New Zealand, along with Italy, Uruguay and Namibia. [1] Hosts France and New Zealand, whom France had defeated in the opening match, qualified from the pool.
Pos. | Team | Band | Confederation | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Apps. | Last | Previous best performance | World Rugby Rankings [2] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 January 2020 [nb 1] | 4 September 2023 | |||||||||
A1 | ![]() | 1 | Oceania | Top 3 in 2019 RWC pool | 6 October 2019 | 10th | 2019 | Winners (1987, 2011, 2015) | 2 | 4 |
A2 | ![]() | 2 | Europe | Hosts | 15 November 2017 | 10th | 2019 | Runners-up (1987, 1999, 2011) | 7 | 3 |
A3 | ![]() | 3 | Europe | Top 3 in 2019 RWC pool | 8 October 2019 | 10th | 2019 | Pool stage (1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) | 12 | 13 |
A4 | ![]() | 4 [nb 2] | South America | Americas 1 | 9 October 2021 | 5th | 2019 | Pool stage (1999, 2003, 2015, 2019 | 18 [nb 2] | 17 |
A5 | ![]() | 5 [nb 3] | Africa | Africa 1 | 10 July 2022 | 7th | 2019 | Pool stage (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) | 23 [nb 3] | 21 |
Notes
The opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup was played between hosts France and three-time champions New Zealand. France won 27–13, courtesy of tries from Damian Penaud and Melvyn Jaminet. Mark Tele'a scored the first try of the tournament for New Zealand after less than two minutes, making it the quickest try in an opening match of a Rugby World Cup. [4] The loss was New Zealand's first ever in the pool stages of a Rugby World Cup. [5] The next day, Italy won their opening match against Namibia by a score of 52–8. [6] On 14 September, Uruguay played their first match of the tournament against hosts France, which France came out victorious with a scoreline of 27–12. [7] The next day, New Zealand bounced back from their opening day defeat against France with 11 tries over Namibia in a 71–3 victory, despite losing Ethan de Groot to a red card for a dangerous collision. [8] Five days later, Italy recorded a 38–17 bonus point victory over Uruguay, following a second-half comeback which previously saw them trail 17–7. [9] The next day, France recorded their largest ever victory in a 96–0 victory over Namibia to move them on the brink of qualification to the knockout stage, while officially eliminating Namibia from the tournament. Thirteen tries were scored by France, who lost captain and key player Antoine Dupont to an injury from the match. [10]
Namibia played their final match of the tournament against Uruguay in Décines-Charpieu. Namibia went ahead with two early tries from Gerswin Mouton and J. C. Greyling, along with successful penalties and conversions from Tiaan Swanepoel. However, Uruguay turned it around in the second half with tries from Baltazar Amaya, Santiago Arata and Bautista Basso to earn the Uruguayans their first victory of the tournament in a 36–26 victory and deny Namibia their first ever victory in a Rugby World Cup. [11] Two days later, New Zealand faced Italy knowing that a defeat would mean that they would be eliminated from the World Cup at the pool stage for the first time ever. However, the All Blacks came out comfortable winners in the end as they starred in a fourteen-try show in Décines-Charpieu to move to the brink of qualification to the quarter-finals. Aaron Smith scored a hat-trick of tries after just 34 minutes in the bonus-point victory. [12]
In the final matchweek of the pool, New Zealand and Uruguay faced off in Décines-Charpieu for their final matches to try and push for a place in the knockout stage. The All Blacks ran out comfortable winners, inspired by Damian McKenzie who scored two tries and kicked two conversions, in a 73–0 victory that officially saw them qualify for the quarter-finals while officially eliminating Uruguay from the tournament. All that remained in Pool A was the final match between hosts France and Italy to officially decide who would join New Zealand in the knockout stage. Both sides were assured to finish in the top three, meaning they were both assured a place in the 2027 Rugby World Cup, along with the All Blacks. [13] The final match of Pool A took place the following day, with France sweeping aside Italy with a 60–7 scoreline in Décines-Charpieu with eight tries in a match to ensure that France qualified as they topped Group A, New Zealand qualified in second and Italy suffered elimination from the tournament as they finished third, but qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. [14]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | B | Pts | Qualification |
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1 | ![]() | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 210 | 32 | +178 | 27 | 5 | 2 | 18 | Advance to knockout stage, and qualification to the 2027 Rugby World Cup |
2 | ![]() | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 253 | 47 | +206 | 38 | 4 | 3 | 15 | |
3 | ![]() | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 114 | 181 | −67 | 15 | 25 | 2 | 10 | Qualification to the 2027 Rugby World Cup |
4 | ![]() | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 65 | 164 | −99 | 9 | 21 | 1 | 5 | |
5 | ![]() | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 37 | 255 | −218 | 3 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
8 September 2023 21:15 CEST (UTC+2) |
France ![]() | 27–13 | ![]() |
Try: Penaud 55' c Jaminet 78' m Con: Ramos (1/1) 57' Pen: Ramos (5/7) 5', 20', 29', 65', 74' | Report | Try: Tele'a (2) 2' m, 43' m Pen: Mo'unga (1/1) 25' |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 78,680 [15] Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() France | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() New Zealand |
Player of the Match: Assistant referees: |
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9 September 2023 13:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) Italy ![]() | 52–8 | ![]() |
Try: L. Cannone 11' c P. Garbisi 15' c Lamb 46' c Capuozzo 55' c Faiva 74' c Zuliani 78' c Odogwu 80+3' c Con: Allan (7/7) 12', 16', 48', 57', 75', 79', 80+4' Pen: Allan (1/1) 8' | Report | Try: Mouton 21' m Pen: Swanepoel (1/2) 4' |
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne Attendance: 35,515 Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland) |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Namibia |
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14 September 2023 21:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
France ![]() | 27–12 | ![]() |
Try: Hastoy 10' c Mauvaka 55' c Bielle-Biarrey 74' c Con: Jaminet (3/3) 11', 56', 75' Pen: Jaminet (2/3) 3', 14' | Report | Try: Freitas 6' m Amaya 53' c Con: Etcheverry (1/2) 54' |
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq Attendance: 48,821 Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() France | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Uruguay |
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15 September 2023 21:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) New Zealand ![]() | 71–3 | ![]() |
Try: Roigard (2) 2' c, 7' m McKenzie (2) 20' c, 39' c Fainga'anuku 25' m Lienert-Brown 35' c De Groot 49' m Papalii 55' c Havili 58' c Clarke 67' c Ioane 77' c Con: McKenzie (8/11) 3', 20', 36', 40', 55', 59', 68', 78' | Report | Pen: Swanepoel (1/1) 11' |
Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Attendance: 31,996 Referee: Luke Pearce (England) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() New Zealand | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Namibia |
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20 September 2023 17:45 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) Italy ![]() | 38–17 | ![]() |
Try: Pani 7' c Lamaro 46' c Ioane 52' c L. Cannone 56' c Brex 61' c Con: Allan (5/5) 8', 47', 53', 57', 62' Pen: P. Garbisi (1/1) 70' | Report | Try: Penalty try 27' Freitas 37' c Con: Etcheverry (1/1) 38' Drop: Etcheverry (1/1) 42' |
Allianz Riviera, Nice Attendance: 28,627 Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Uruguay |
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21 September 2023 21:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) France ![]() | 96–0 | ![]() |
Try: Penaud (3) 6' m, 21' c, 55' c Danty (2) 9' c, 26' c Ollivon (2) 18' c, 68' c Flament 33' c Dupont 38' c Bielle-Biarrey (2) 40+1' c, 64' c Couilloud 47' c Jaminet 76' c Penalty try 80' Con: Ramos (12/13) 10', 18', 22', 27', 34', 39', 40+2', 48', 56', 65', 70', 77' | Report |
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Attendance: 63,486 Referee: Matthew Carley (England) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() France | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Namibia |
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27 September 2023 17:45 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) Uruguay ![]() | 36–26 | ![]() |
Try: Amaya (2) 19' m, 49' c Kessler 28' c Arata 54' c Basso 66' c Con: Etcheverry (3/4) 29', 51', 55' Berchesi (1/1) 67' Pen: Berchesi (1/1) 74' | Report | Try: Mouton 1' c Greyling 11' c Con: Swanepoel (2/2) 2', 12' Pen: Swanepoel (4/4) 25', 35', 43', 69' |
Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu Attendance: 49,342 Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Uruguay | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Namibia |
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29 September 2023 21:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) New Zealand ![]() | 96–17 | ![]() |
Try: Jordan (2) 7' c, 70' c Smith (3) 17' c, 27' c, 34' c Tele'a 19' c Savea (2) 22' c, 40+5' c Retallick 50' c Papalii 55' c Coles (2) 61' m, 73' c McKenzie 67' c Lienert-Brown 76' c Con: Mo'unga (9/10) 8', 18', 20, 23', 28', 35', 40+6', 51', 57' McKenzie (4/4) 69', 71', 74', 77' | Report | Try: Capuozzo 48' c Ioane 80+1' c Con: Allan (1/1) 49' P. Garbisi (1/1) 80+3' Pen: Allan (1/1) 10' |
Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu Attendance: 57,083 Referee: Matthew Carley (England) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() New Zealand | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy |
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5 October 2023 21:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) New Zealand ![]() | 73–0 | ![]() |
Try: McKenzie (2) 20' c, 53' c Mo'unga 25' c Jordan (2) 33' c, 65' c Roigard 38' m Newell 45' m Fainga'anuku (3) 49' c, 68' c, 77' c Williams 73' c Con: Mo'unga (5/7) 21', 26', 34', 50', 54' McKenzie (2/2) 66', 69' B. Barrett (2/2) 74', 78' | Report |
Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu Attendance: 57,672 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() New Zealand | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Uruguay |
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6 October 2023 21:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) France ![]() | 60–7 | ![]() |
Try: Penaud (2) 2' c, 38' c Bielle-Biarrey 13' c Ramos 22' c Jalibert 47' c Mauvaka 54' c Moefana (2) 64' c, 76' m Con: Ramos (6/6) 4', 14', 23', 39', 48', 55' Jaminet (1/2) 65' Pen: Ramos (1/2) 7' Jaminet (1/1) 80+1' | Report | Try: Zuliani 71' c Con: Allan (1/1) 72' |
Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu Attendance: 58,102 Referee: Karl Dickson (England) [16] |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() France | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy |
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