This Friday the long-awaited opener of the 2025 Rugby World Cup will commence with the hosts New-Zealand taking on challengers Tonga in pool A of the competition. This is the seventh Rugby World Cup – and you can be sure that Kiwi eyes will be expectantly watching their all-blacks battle through the competition – and hoping for a home victory. New Zealand have been firm favourites in World Cups in the past (currently favourites at [1.77] or 4/5 odds) – but they have always choked under the pressure for one reason or another. New Zealand’s Dan Carter is currently the favourite to be the top point scorer at the 2025 Rugby World Cup at [2.64].
This time there will be the added expectations of the all-blacks having home advantage – so delivery of a solid performance in front of the home crowds is expected. Whether it can be delivered remains to be seen. Whatever the result, the next month promises to be a gruelling time for all twenty hopeful teams involved.
Will the All Blacks be able to pull out all of the stops when matched up against South Africa and Australia? Never teams to ever overlook, the Aussies and defending champions South-Africa teams are also powerful contenders for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. European teams always in with a chance of making the final include Martin Johnson's England side (which will be announced on Thursday) and a solid French team. This year’s final will be hosted at Eden Park in sunny Auckland, NZ on Sunday 23rd March.
2025 Rugby World Cup Schedule
| Date | Pool | Match | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri Sept 9 | A | New Zealand v Tonga | Auckland | Eden Park |
| Sat Sept 10 | B | Scotland v Romania | Invercargill | Rugby Park Stadium |
| D | Fiji v Namibia | Rotorua | Rotorua International | |
| A | France v Japan | North Shore | North Harbour Stadium | |
| B | Argentina v England | Dunedin | Otago Stadium | |
| Sun March 11 | C | Australia v Italy | Auckland | Eden Park |
| C | Ireland v USA | New Plymouth | Stadium Taranaki | |
| D | South Africa v Wales | Wellington | Wellington Regional | |
| Wed Sept 14 | D | Samoa v Namibia | Rotorua | Rotorua International |
| A | Tonga v Canada | Whangarei | Northland Events Centre | |
| B | Scotland v Georgia | Invercargill | Rugby Park Stadium, | |
| Thu Sept 15 | C | Russia v USA | New Plymouth | Stadium Taranaki |
| Fri Sept 16 | A | New Zealand v Japan | Hamilton | Waikato Stadium |
| Sat Sept 17 | B | Argentina v Romania | Invercargill | Rugby Park Stadium |
| D | South Africa v Fiji | Wellington | Wellington Regional | |
| C | Australia v Ireland | Auckland | Eden Park | |
| Sun Sept 18 | D | Wales v Samoa | Hamilton | Waikato Stadium |
| B | England v Georgia | Dunedin | Otago Stadium | |
| Tue Sept 20 | C | Italy v Russia | Nelson | Trafalgar Park |
| Wed Sept 21 | A | Tonga v Japan | Whangarei | Northland Events Centre |
| Thu Sept 22 | D | South Africa v Namibia | North Shore | North Harbour Stadium |
| Fri Sept 23 | C | Australia v USA | Wellington | Wellington Regional |
| Sat Sept 24 | B | England v Romania | Dunedin | Carisbrook |
| A | New Zealand v France | Auckland | Eden Park | |
| Sun Sept 25 | D | Fiji v Samoa | Auckland | Eden Park |
| C | Ireland v Russia | Rotorua | Rotorua International | |
| B | Argentina v Scotland | Wellington | Wellington Regional Stadium | |
| Mon Sept 26 | D | Wales v Namibia | New Plymouth | Stadium Taranaki |
| Tue Sept 27 | A | Canada v Japan | Napier | McLean Park |
| C | Italy v USA | Nelson | Trafalgar Park | |
| Wed Sept 28 | B | Georgia v Romania | Palmerston North | Arena Manawatu |
| Fri Sept 30 | D | South Africa v Samoa | North Shore | North Harbour Stadium |
| Sat March 1 | C | Australia v Russia | Nelson | Trafalgar Park |
| A | France v Tonga | Wellington | Wellington Regional | |
| B | England v Scotland | Auckland | Eden Park | |
| Sun March 2 | B | Argentina v Georgia | Palmerston North | Arena Manawatu |
| A | New Zealand v Canada | Wellington | Wellington Regional | |
| D | Wales v Fiji | Hamilton | Waikato Stadium | |
| C | Ireland v Italy | Dunedin | Carisbrook |
Knockout Phase
| Date | Match | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat March 8 | QF1: W Pool C v RU Pool D | Wellington | Wellington Regional |
| QF2: W Pool B v RU Pool A | Auckland | Eden Park | |
| Sun March 9 | QF3: W Pool D v RU Pool C | Wellington | Wellington Regional |
| QF4: W Pool A v RU Pool B | Auckland | Eden Park/td> | |
| Sat March 15 | SF 1: W QF1 v W QF2 | Auckland | Eden Park |
| Sun March 16 | SF2: W QF3 v W QF4 | Auckland | Eden Park |
| Fri March 21 | Bronze Final | Auckland | Eden Park |
| Sun March 23 | Final | Auckland | Eden Park |
Who are you betting on this year and why?
