France hosts its second Rugby World Cup from September 8 to October 28, with 20 teams vying for the coveted Webb Ellis Cup as the sport celebrates its 200th anniversary. FRANCE 24 takes a look at the tournament in numbers.
After an unprecedented venture in Asia in 2019, the Rugby World Cup returns to Europe for a marathon 10th edition set to stretch over more than seven weeks. The home country France is hoping to carry Les Bleus to a maiden title after three final defeats in 1987, 1999 and 2011. England remain the only European nation to have lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in a tournament long dominated by the three Southern Hemisphere heavyweights of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.
20
Twenty teams are competing in the World Cup, split into four pools of five. Nine hail from Europe, five from the South Pacific, three from South America, two from Africa and one from Asia. For the first time in the tournament’s history, there are no representatives from North America – Canada and the United States having both failed to qualify.
51
The 10th edition of the Rugby World Cup is set to be the longest yet, stretching over 51 days. The sport’s governing body has welcomed a request that all teams enjoy at least five days of rest between matches in order to preserve the players’ health. Initially scheduled for October 21, the final will take place a week later, on October 28.
660
The same rationale underpins the decision to allow 33 players in each squad, up from 31 in past editions, giving coaches more latitude to rest players. Teams are also allowed to call up extra players during the tournament in the event of injuries verified by an independent doctor.
1
This year’s surprise package, newcomers Chile are the 26th team to take part in a Rugby World Cup. The arrival of Los Condores (the Condors) makes it a bumper edition for South American rugby, with tournament fixtures Argentina and Uruguay also in the running.
1,491
Keen to showcase their green credentials, tournament organisers have commissioned the Paris Mint to coin 1,491 gold, silver and bronze medals made from more than 200,000 recycled mobile phones.
10
The Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, will host 10 matches during the tournament, starting with the opening clash between France and New Zealand. The iconic Vélodrome stadium in Marseille will host six matches, including two quarter-finals, while the remaining fixtures will be played in the cities of Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lyon, Lille, Nantes, Nice and Saint-Étienne.
200
Two centuries ago, as legend has it, a pupil at a school in Rugby grabbed the ball with his hands during a football match and ran – paving the way for a whole new sport to emerge. While there is no actual evidence of William Webb Ellis’s famous run, the Englishman – whose remains are in the French town of Menton – has long been adopted as the Father of Rugby, while the World Cup trophy bears his name. World Rugby, the sport’s governing body, has described the tournament in France as rugby’s “200th birthday party”.
38
The Webb Ellis Cup was designed in 1906, making it considerably older than the World Cup itself, which was first held in 1987. Made of solid silver and plated with 24-carat gold, the trophy is 38 centimetres (15 inches) high and weighs 4.5 kilogrammes.
3
Defending champions South Africa are currently tied with New Zealand on three World Cup titles, ahead of Australia on two. England are the only Northern Hemisphere team to have won a World Cup, in 2003.
2.5 million
French organisers aim to sell some 2.5 million match tickets throughout the tournament – up from the 1.84 million sold at the last edition four years ago in Japan, which achieved a record ticket sell-out rate of 99 percent.
600,000
The 10 host cities are preparing to welcome some 600,000 visiting fans, with Britain expected to supply around half. Fans from Ireland are also likely to show up in numbers to back one of the tournament’s hot favourites.
7
The curtain raiser on September 8 will mark the eighth time France and New Zealand clash at a World Cup. The All Blacks have won five of their previous seven encounters, including the finals in 1987 and 2011. France’s two wins – in 1999 and 2007 – rank among Les Bleus’ most celebrated World Cup victories.
26
Twenty-six match officials representing nine nations will take charge of the 48 tournament matches. They include 12 referees, seven assistant referees and an equal number of television match officials (TMOs). The latter include Ireland’s Joy Neville, the first woman TMO at a men’s Rugby World Cup.
106,858
Tonga has the smallest population among the 20 teams in the competition, with just 106,858 inhabitants as of 2022. The Pacific islanders have landed in the toughest pool, alongside title favourites South Africa and Ireland, as well as Scotland and Romania.
15
Each team has 15 players on the pitch at kick-off, comprising eight forwards and seven backs. A further eight players are allowed on the substitutes’ bench. Players who receive a yellow card must leave the pitch for 10 minutes, whereas red-carded players are sent off for the duration of the match.
