The Rugby World Cup is finally here after a long wait of four years. The tournament will take place from 08th September to 28th October in France. The opening and final games are scheduled at Stade de France in North Paris.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be the debut year of Chile’s rugby team and the second year for Portugal. The World Cup will be seven weeks instead of the usual six to provide more rest to the players.
South Africa is defending its title this year and the French are playing on the home ground, the tournament is going to be interesting. You can watch Rugby World Cup in Ireland for free on RTE, the official broadcasting partner.
Other ways to watch the tournament are France TV and ProSieben. Since France TV and ProSieben are geo-restricted channels and unavailable in Ireland, you can access them in Ireland with ExpressVPN.
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When & Where is the Rugby World Cup 2023 Happening?
The Rugby World Cup is one of the biggest Rugby Union tournaments. Below is everything you need to know before the big day.
- Date: Friday, 08 September 2023 to Saturday, 28 October 2023
- Location: 9 venues in France
- Total Pools: 04 (A to D)
- No. of Teams: 20
- Total Games: 48
- How to Watch: RTE, France TV, ProSieben
How to Watch Rugby World Cup in Ireland for Free
RTE and its streaming service, RTE Player, is our most recommended way to watch the Rugby World Cup. The channel and its streaming service have the official rights to broadcast the tournament in Ireland.
Follow the steps below to watch Rugby World Cup in Ireland:
Step 1: Go to the RTE Player and click on login
Step 2: Click Sign in
Step 3: Click Don’t have RTE Account?
Step 4: Enter your credentials
Step 5: Enter your birth year and gender
Step 6: Verify your account
Step 7: Click on Live from the homepage
Step 8: Choose RTE 2 and enjoy streaming when the game is live
3 Free Ways to Watch Rugby World Cup in Ireland
There are several free and official ways of streaming Rugby World Cup games in Ireland. All these services require you to create an account before streaming.
Below are our recommended ways to watch Rugby World Cup in Ireland:
1. RTE
The official way to watch the Rugby World Cup Games in Ireland is through RTE and Virgin Media. The game will be available on RTE2 and its streaming service, RTE Player for free.
RTE will broadcast 48 games live and free in Ireland. You can also watch the opening game between France and New Zealand on RTE.
Other sports to watch on RTE include Golf, GAA, Soccer, FIBA Basketball World Cup, Rugby Union games, Women’s FIFA World Cup, etc.
2. France TV
You can watch the Rugby World Cup in France on France TV. It is a free-to-air public TV network with a free streaming service.
You can watch France TV’s channels, France 1 – 5, France Enfants, France Info, France Culture, and France Slash channels.
The channel is the official broadcaster of the Rugby World Cup 2023 in Ireland, along with TF1. You can watch ten games live, and selected premium games, including the final.
However, France TV is a geo-blocked streaming service, meaning it’s only available in France. You can watch France TV in Ireland using our premium VPN, ExpressVPN.
Read More: Watch France TV in Ireland
3. ProSieben
ProSieben is a German free-to-air TV channel. It is the official streaming partner of the Rugby World Cup in several countries, including Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
The channel will provide free coverage of 35 games out of 48. However, the service is only available in a few countries and is geo-blocked in Ireland.
You can unblock ProSieben in Ireland with ExpressVPN.
Read More: Watch ProSieben in Ireland
What Teams Are Playing in the Rugby World Cup 2023
The following teams will be playing in the Rugby World Cup 2023 according to their Pools:
| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
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List of the Official Rugby World Cup Broadcasters
The following are the official Rugby World Cup 2023 broadcasters:
| Country | Broadcaster |
| Asia-Pacific | beIN Sports |
| Australia | Stan |
| Germany, Austria, Switzerland | ProSieben |
| Bulgaria | BNT |
| France | TF1, France TV |
| Ireland | RTE, Virgin Media |
| Portugal | Sports TV |
| United States | NBC Sports |
| Turkey | SSports |
| United Kingdom | ITV |
Schedule of Rugby World Cup 2023
The following is the schedule of the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2023:
| Date | Time (Irish Time) | Match |
| Friday, 08 September | 20:15 | France vs New Zealand |
| Saturday, 09 September | 12:00 | Italy vs Namibia |
| Saturday, 09 September | 14:30 | Ireland vs Romania |
| Saturday, 09 September | 17:00 | Australia vs Georgia |
| Saturday, 09 September | 20:00 | England vs Argentina |
| Sunday, 10 September | 12:00 | Japan vs Chile |
| Sunday, 10 September | 16:45 | South Africa vs Scotland |
| Sunday, 10 September | 20:00 | Wales vs Fiji |
| Thursday, 14 September | 20:00 | France vs Uruguay |
| Friday, 15 September | 20:00 | New Zealand vs Namibia |
| Saturday, 16 September | 14:00 | Samoa vs Chile |
| Saturday, 16 September | 16:45 | Wales vs Portugal |
| Saturday, 16 September | 20:00 | Ireland vs Tonga |
| Sunday, 17 September | 14:00 | South Africa vs Romania |
| Sunday, 17 September | 16:45 | Australia vs Fiji |
How to Watch Rugby World Cup in Ireland on Mobile Phones
You can enjoy Rugby World Cup’s opening games and other matches on the go with France TV’s official app. You can stream the app on your phones and TVs through the VPN.
Unfortunately, the official France TV app is only available on Google Play Store in France. Therefore, you must download France TV APK to enjoy the games live in Ireland.
Follow the steps below to watch Rugby World Cup in Ireland on France TV on your smartphones and smart TVs:
Step 1: Install ExpressVPN from the Playstore
Step 2: Open the VPN app and connect to the French server (i.e., Paris)
Step 3: Download France.tv APK and install it on your device
Step 4: Open France.tv app
Step 5: Create a free account
Step 6: Click on the search icon on the home page
Step 7: Search for Rugby League World Cup and select the live stream
Step 8: Enjoy the game when it’s live
Other Sports to Watch in Ireland
You can watch the following Rugby and other sports tournaments in Ireland:
- Watch Rugby Union Internationals in Ireland
- Watch Rugby League World Cup in Ireland
- Watch National Rugby League (NRL) in Ireland
- Watch FIBA Basketball World Cup in Ireland
- Watch Women’s FIFA World Cup in Ireland
- Watch T20 World Cup in Ireland
- Watch Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup in Ireland
FAQs – Rugby World Cup
What is the opening game of the Rugby World Cup?
Les Bleus, France’s national rugby team, will play against the three-time world champion, New Zealand, on September 8, 2023.
Where is the Rugby World Cup 2023?
France will be hosting the Rugby World Cup at different locations. The opening match and the final will be at Stade de France in Paris.
Who will win Rugby World Cup 2023, according to fan’s predictions?
34% of the fans predict this will be New Zealand’s year. If New Zealand wins, it will be their fourth victory. France is also a strong contender for the title as its team is in form and has lost only two matches in the last two years.
Conclusion
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be the tenth installment of the tournament. France will host the World Cup from 08 September to 28 October.
You can watch the Rugby World Cup in Ireland on RTE, the official broadcaster. You can also stream the tournament for free on France TV and ProSieben.
Unfortunately, Both France TV and ProSieben are geo-restricted and only available in their licensed regions. You can access them in Ireland with a premium VPN, i.e., ExpressVPN.
