Rugby World Cup 2023: Your country-by-country Pool C guide

Sat, Sept 9, 5pm: Australia v Georgia, Saint-Denis

Sun, Sept 10, 8pm: Wales v Fiji, Bordeaux

Sat, Sept 16, 4.45pm: Wales v Portugal, Nice

Sun, Sept 17, 4.45pm: Australia v Fiji, Saint-Etienne

Sat, Sept 23, 1pm: Georgia v Portugal, Toulouse 

Sun, Sept 24, 8pm: Wales v Australia, Lyon

Sat, Sept 30, 4.45pm: Fiji v Georgia, Bordeaux

Sun, Oct 1, 4.45pm: Australia v Portugal, Saint-Etienne

Sat, Oct 7, 2pm: Wales v Georgia, Nantes

Sun, Oct 8, 8pm: Fiji v Portugal, Toulouse 

*Odds (to win pool) Australia 1/3, Wales 12/5, Fiji 11/1, Georgia 150/1, Portugal 500/1 

Portugal head coach Patrice Lagisquet won 46 caps for France and played in the inaugural World Cup final against New Zealand in 1987.

Wales v Australia in Lyon on September 24 will go a long way to deciding who goes through as Pool C winner to face the runner-up in England, Argentina, Japan and Samoa’s pool in the last eight.

Fiji will be targeting their opening weekend fixture with Wales in Bordeaux as a chance to lay down a marker that they will not be Pool C pushovers.

Fiji’s Levani Botia will be worth the price of a ticket alone if his performances for European champions La Rochelle are any guide. Any reader of Ronan O’Gara’s Irish Examiner column will know just what this versatile back-row/centre powerhouse is capable of producing.

As the only fly-half selected by Eddie Jones for Australia’s World Cup campaign, Carter Gordon, capped just five times, has a huge burden to carry as the Wallabies strive to finally get up and running under their new head coach.

For sheer entertainment value, the Wallabies’ Eddie Jones is your man. He left Australia with his squad wearing a huge hat and having blamed his country’s rugby journalists for “the worst press conference” of his rugby career. Comedy gold.

Everyone loves the Fijians, who bring that sevens mentality to the 15-a-side format and relish every minute on a rugby pitch. What they sometimes lack in organisation, they more than make up for with their off-the-cuff plays, KBA mentality and powerhouse ball carrying. A joy to watch when at their best.

Forget the wines of Australia and the sherries of Portugal, go for Kava, from Fiji, which also goes by the name of yaqona (yang-GO-na) or the bases-covered grog.

Kava is described as “a mildly narcotic and sedative drink made from the crushed root of the yaqona strained with water”. Mmmm.

Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne plays host to Australia-Fiji on September 17 and Australia-Portugal on October 1. The home of the city’s Ligue 1 club, the stadium’s finest hour was arguably when Argentina defeated England in a football classic at the 1998 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 stage but more recently France entertained Scotland in the 41,965 arena in a Rugby World Cup warm-up and served up a thriller 

This fascinating pool is the one most likely to produce shocks. The obvious favorites to advance are Australia and Wales but, given the current state of affairs in those countries, both domestically and at international level, that can’t be taken for granted.

The big potential for an upset is likely to come from the classy Fijians, who have not only benefited from the addition of the Fijian Drua team to the southern hemisphere’s Super Rugby tournament but also from integrating a huge number of vastly talented players scattered all over Europe.

They made a timely statement when beating England at RFU headquarters last week and will be brimming with confidence for what lies ahead. The only setback to their preparations was the shock resignation of former Clermont Auvergne and Scotland coach Vern Cotter last February for personal reasons.

Both Wales and Australia have new, albeit vastly experienced high profile, coaches in Warren Gatland and Eddie Jones parachuted in only months out from the World Cup. Both have been left playing catch up. The Wallabies haven’t won a game since Jones’s return and look brittle while Wales also have major ground to make up.

Factor in that Six Nations wannabes Georgia are also in this pool and the scope for their nuggety forwards to create a few dents up front on their more fancied opponents opens up further opportunities for a shock result along the way. With everyone else scrambling for precious match points the remaining team, Portugal, could be on the receiving end of a few hidings.

Verdict Despite their woeful form of late, Australia have too much quality behind the scrum not to advance. As for the remaining spot, Fiji are more than capable of repeating the heroics of 2007 when they advanced at the expense of Wales. Another shock could well be on the cards here.

Forwards (19) Taine Basham (Dragons), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Corey Domachowski (Cardiff), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby), Tomas Francis (Provence), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Harlequins), Dan Lydiate (Dragons), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Will Rowlands (Dragons), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Henry Thomas (Montpellier), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).

Backs (14) Josh Adams (Cardiff), Gareth Anscombe (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath), Dan Biggar (Toulon), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Leigh Halfpenny (unattached), George North (Ospreys), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Johnny Williams (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Kubota Spears), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby).

Forwards (18) Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), Pone Fa’amausili (Melbourne Rebels), Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds), Blake Schoupp (ACT Brumbies), James Slipper (ACT Brumbies), Taniela Tupou (Queensland Reds), Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds), David Porecki (NSW Waratahs), Jordan Uelese (Melbourne Rebels), Richie Arnold (Toulouse), Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies), Matt Philip (Melbourne Rebels), Will Skelton (La Rochelle), Langi Gleeson (NSW Waratahs), Tom Hooper (ACT Brumbies), Rob Leota (Melbourne Rebels), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies).

Backs (15) Issak Fines-Leleiwasa (Western Force), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds), Nic White (ACT Brumbies), Carter Gordon (Melbourne Rebels), Lalakai Foketi (NSW Waratahs), Samu Kerevi (Urayasu D-Rocks), Izaia Perese (NSW Waratahs), Jordan Petaia (Queensland Reds), Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs), Andrew Kellaway (Melbourne Rebels), Marika Koroibete (Saitama Wild Knights), Mark Nawaqanitawase (NSW Waratahs), Suliasi Vunivalu (Queensland Reds). Utility (2): Ben Donaldson (NSW Waratahs), Josh Kemeny (Melbourne Rebels).

Forwards (18) Eroni Mawi (Saracens), Peni Ravai (Queensland Reds), Jone Koroiduadua (Fijian Drua), Mesake Doge (Fijian Drua), Luke Tagi (Provence), Samu Tawake (Fijian Drua), Tevita Ikanivere (Fijian Drua), Sam Matavesi (Northampton Saints), Zuriel Togiatama (Fijian Drua), Isoa Nasilasila (Fijian Drua), Temo Mayanavanua (Northampton Saints), Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta (Fijian Drua), Albert Tuisue (Gloucester), Lekima Tagitagivalu (Pau), Levani Botia (La Rochelle), Vilive Miramira (Fijian Drua), Meli Derenalagi (Fijian Drua), Viliame Mata (Edinburgh).

Backs (15) Frank Lomani (Fijian Drua), Peni Matawalu (Fijian Drua), Simione Kuruvoli (Fijian Drua), Caleb Muntz (Fijian Drua), Teti Tela (Fijian Drua), Josua Tuisova (Racing 92), Semi Radradra (Bristol Bears), Waisea Nayacalevu (Toulon), Iosefo Masi (Fijian Drua), Selesitino Ravutaumada (Fijian Drua), Vinaya Habosi (Racing 92), Jiuta Wainiqolo (Toulon), Kalaveti Ravouvou (Fijian Drua), Sireli Maqala (Bayonne), Ilaisa Droasese (Fijian Drua).

Forwards (19) Mikheil Nariashvili Black Lion), Guram Gogichashvili (Racing 92), Nika Abuladze (Exeter Chiefs), Beka Gigashvili (Toulon), Guram Papidze (Pau), Luka Japaridze (Montpellier), Shalva Mamukashvili (Black Lion), Luka Nioradze (Aurillac), Tengiz Zamtaradze (Black Lion), Kote Mikoutadze (Bayonne), Nodar Cheishvili (Black Lion), Lasha Jayani (Nevers), Lado Chachanidze (Nevers), Beka Saghinadze (Lyon), Beka Gorgadze (Pau), Giorgi Tsutskiridze (Stade Français), Tornike Jalaghonia (Biarritz), Mikheil Gachechiladze (Black Lion), Luka Ivanishvili (Black Lion).

Backs (14) Vasil Lobzhanidze (Brive), Gela Aprasidze (Bayonne), Tengiz Peranidze (Black Lion), Tedo Abzhandadze (Montauban), Luka Matkava (Black Lion), Merab Sharikadze (Black Lion), Tornike Kakhoidze (Black Lion), Demur Tapladze (Black Lion), Giorgi Kveseladze (Gloucester), Akaki Tabutsadze (Black Lion), Aleksandre Todua (Black Lion), Mirian Modebadze (Black Lion), Davit Niniashvili (Lyon), Lasha Khmaladze (Black Lion).

Forwards (19) Antonio Machado Santos (CF Belenenses), David Costa (GD Direito), Diogo Hasse Ferreira (US Dax), Francisco Fernandes (Bezier), Francisco Bruno (GD Direito), Anthony Alves (Mont Marsan), Duarte Diniz (GD Direito), Lionel Campergue (Rugby Bassin Dárcathon), Mike Tadjer (Perpignan), Duarte Torgal (GD Direito), Jose Madeira (Grenoble), Jose Maria Rebelo Andrade (AEIS Agronomia), Steevy Cerqueira (Chambery), Martim Belo (GDS Cascais), Nicolas Martins (SA XV Charente Rugby), Rafael Simoes (CDUL), Joao Granate (GD Direito), Thibault de Freitas (Club Municipal Floriac Rugby), David Wallis (CF Belenenses).

Backs (14) Joao Belo (CDUP), Pedro Lucas (CF Belenenses), Samuel Marques (Carcassone), Jeronimo Portela (GD Direito), Joris Moura (Valence Romans), Jose Lima (Narbonne), Tomas Appleton (CDUL), Pedro Bettencourt (Oyonnax Rugby), Rodrigo Marta (US Dax), Vincent Pinto (Pau Rugby), Manuel Cardoso Pinto (AEIS Agronomia), Raffaele Storti (Bezier), Nuno Sousa Guedes (CDUP), Simao Bento (Mont Marsan).