Tower and Town, October 2023 (view the full edition)The World Cup 2023As you read this October edition of Tower and Town the 10th Rugby World Cup will be about to enter the knock-out phase. The tournament began on Friday, September 8 and is being played in France across nine stadiums in nine cities. The final will be played at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, October 28. First held in Australia and New Zealand in 1987, the tournament has alternated between the northern and southern hemisphere every four years. South Africa were the winners of the last tournament - in Japan in 2019 - when they beat England in the final and will be among the favourites again this year. New Zealand, as ever, will be the team to beat, especially after their dominant showing at the Rugby Championship. Along with New Zealand and South Africa, Australia are the other multiple winners of the Webb Ellis Cup and England are the only team to have broken the southern hemisphere monopoly. In 2003, Clive Woodward's side faced hosts Australia and prevailed 20-17 thanks to a last-gasp Jonny Wilkinson drop goal. However, a strong European challenge is expected, not least from France and Six Nations Grand Slam winners Ireland who are currently positioned 3rd and 1st respectively in the World Rugby Rankings. Although England were runners-up at the 2019 World Cup, at the start of this campaign they were ranked 8th after only winning 4 matches out of previous 13 in the run up to the competition. However, group stage victories against Argentina and Japan saw England qualify for the knock out quarter final stages kicking off on 14th October. The last Rugby World Cup in Japan attracted two million new participants to the sport, achieved a 99 per cent attendance rate, set a new fan zone attendance record of 1.13 million and delivered a record nationwide economic impact of £4.3 billion.  © Belfast Telegraph Mark Thomas |