Watch as Rugby World Cup organisers hold press conference in Paris on eve of tournament
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Your support makes all the difference.Watch as the organisers of the 2023 Rugby World Cup give a news conference in Paris about final preparations.
The tournament is set to begin on Friday 8 September as hosts France take on New Zealand in a blockbuster tie, with the final taking place seven weeks later on Saturday 28 October.
It takes place across nine host cities - the capital Paris, Toulouse, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon, Saint-Etienne, Nantes and Lille - with more than 2.5 million match tickets sold.
New Zealand and South Africa are - as usual - two of the favourites, with Ireland and hosts France confidently added to that mix.
Six Nations champions Ireland, under the coaching direction of Andy Farrell, have surged to the top spot in rugby union’s world rankings, while Les Bleus’ thrilling playing style and power game are an irresistible combination.
Meanwhile, it is 20 years since England conquered the rugby world and they will arrive in France following a difficult build-up.
New head coach Steve Borthwick, appointed earlier this year, oversaw an underwhelming Six Nations campaign, while key players Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola are suspended for opening World Cup pool action after being sent off during warm-up games.
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