Rugby World Cup on TV and live: Who’s showing the games?

How is the tournament going?

The tournament is divided into a group stage and a knockout stage. The preliminary round will be held with the participation of 20 teams in four groups of five teams from September 8 to October 8. The opening match will be played between hosts France and record world champions New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris. After the group stage, the quarter-final matches begin on October 14. From the semi-finals onwards, all matches will be played at the Stade de France. All 2.5 million tickets available were sold out months before the start of the World Cup.

Why does the World Cup last seven weeks?

Compared to the last World Cup, which was held with 32 participants and 64 matches in one month, the Rugby World Cup takes a long time. The reason for this is the enormous pressure on players. It is not unusual for several players to suffer injuries in a match. Due to the recovery time required, there is about a week between the team’s two matches.

Who are your favourites?

The majority of experts believe that the tournament will end in the same way it began. With a duel between France and New Zealand – the two-time winning hosts. The prevailing view is that the current generation in New Zealand has passed its prime. Among the candidates are also the strong Irish team, ranked first in the world rankings, and defending champion South Africa.

Is Germany there?

no. Germany has never qualified for the Rugby World Cup. For the tournament in France, they were not represented in the six-man tournament for the last two remaining European tickets.

Where do team nicknames come from?

All Blacks, Springboks, Les Tricolores – every World Cup team has a title. These names often come from the association’s animals, typical plants, or national colors. But there are also exceptions. The Georgian team is called “lilos”, which is a traditional Georgian sport similar to rugby.

What are the most important rules?

Rugby union is played with 15 players and a half lasts 40 minutes. Between them there is a ten-minute half-time. The ball may only be thrown backwards with the hands, and it is permitted to play forwards with the feet. Points can be scored by trying, for which you get five points. A successful raise (conversion) can increase your score by seven points. Three points can be scored by dropping the goal as well as by a penalty kick.

If the ball goes out of bounds, a throw-in (line out) is taken. Both teams form an alley into which the ball is thrown. In case of minor violations of the rules, the referee orders a rally. Eight players from each team line up in three rows and press against each other. The fouled team rolls the ball into the huddle, where it must be pushed back with their feet.