If the secret to winning major tournaments - or even progressing beyond the quarter-finals - is peaking at the right time, then September 23rd will be circled on Irish calendars after the pool fixtures for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France were released on Friday.
That is the date Andy Farrell – providing he is still at the helm – will lead his side into a third round clash with the defending world champions, South Africa, at the Stade de France. A daunting but mouth-watering proposition.
Ireland will be hoping to head into the fixture on full points, after they were drawn to play two qualifiers in the opening two rounds.
On Saturday, September 9th they meet the European runners-up in Bordeaux – this is likely to be one of Georgia or Russia, who they faced in the 2019 pool stages.
Ireland’s second fixture will be played in Nantes against the winner of an Asia-Oceania play-off, with Tonga or Samoa – another side they met in 2019 – the likely opponents.
Then it’s a first trip to the capital and the familiar surroundings of the Stade de France, where the Springboks will be lying in wait.
Two weeks after a bruising encounter with the world champions they take on Scotland in Paris on October 7th, a fixture which is likely to be a straight shootout for the knockout stages.
Should they progress, Ireland will then meet the winners or runners-up of Pool A, which includes France and New Zealand, on the weekend of October 14th-15th – again at the Stade de France.
The tournament will be given a highly-charged opening when the hosts meet the All Blacks in Paris for a September 8th curtain-raiser – the latest chapter in their storied World Cup history, with the losers knowing they could be facing Ireland in the last-eight.
Elsewhere, Wales once again find themselves grouped with Fiji and Australia – they meet the Pacific Islanders in the opening round on September 10th before meeting the Wallabies in Lyon in round three.
England, beaten finalists in 2019, begin their campaign against Argentina in Marseille on September 9th, followed eight days later by a clash with Japan in Nice.
Attending fixtures still seems a distant dream – but details of when and where tickets will go on sale will be announced on March 4th. Fans wishing to register their interest can do so at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com.
The first tranche of tickets will be made available to World Rugby’s official travel partners next month with Killester Travel operating as the Irish agent.
Rugby World Cup 2023 fixtures (All kick-off times tbc)
Friday, September 8th
Pool A
France v New Zealand, Stade De France, Paris
Saturday, September 9th
Pool A
Italy v Africa 1, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne
Pool B
Ireland v Europe 2, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Pool C
Australia v Europe 1, Stade De France, Paris
Pool D
England v Argentina, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Sunday, September 10th
Pool D
Japan v Americas 2, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse
Pool B
South Africa v Scotland, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Pool C
Wales v Fiji, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Thursday, September 14th
Pool A
France v Americas 1, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
Friday, September 15th
Pool A
New Zealand v Africa 1, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse
Saturday, September 16th
Pool D
Oceania 1 v Americas 2, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Pool C
Wales v Final Qualifier Winner, Stade De Nice, Nice
Pool B
Ireland v Asia / Pacific 1, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes
Sunday, September 17th
Pool B
South Africa v Europe 2, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Pool C
Australia v Fiji, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne
Pool D
England v Japan, Stade De Nice, Nice
Wednesday, September 20th
Pool A
Italy v Americas 1, Stade De Nice, Nice
Thursday, September 21st
Pool A
France v Africa 1, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Friday, September 22nd
Pool D
Argentina v Oceania 1, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne
Saturday, September 23rd
Pool C
Europe 1 v Final Qualifier Winner, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse
Pool D
England v Americas 2, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
Pool B
South Africa v Ireland, Stade De France, Paris
Sunday, September 24th
Pool B
Scotland v Asia / Pacific 1, Stade De Nice, Nice
Pool C
Wales v Australia, Parc Ol, Lyon
Wednesday, September 27th
Pool A
Americas 1 v Africa 1, Parc Ol, Lyon
Thursday, September 28th
Pool D
Japan v Oceania 1, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse
Friday, September 29th
Pool A
New Zealand v Italy, Parc Ol, Lyon
Saturday, September 30th
Pool D
Argentina v Americas 2, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes
Pool C
Fiji v Europe 1, Stade De Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Pool B
Scotland v Europe 2, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
Sunday, October 1st
Pool C
Australia v Final Qualifier Winner, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne
Pool B
South Africa v Asia / Pacific 1, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Thursday, October 5th
Pool A
New Zealand v Americas 1, Parc Ol, Lyon
Friday, October 6th
Pool A
France v Italy, Parc Ol, Lyon
Saturday, October 7th
Pool C
Wales v Europe 1, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes
Pool D
England v Oceania 1, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
Pool B
Ireland v Scotland, Stade De France, Saint-Denis
Sunday, October 8th
Pool D
Japan v Argentina, Stade De La Beaujoire, Nantes
Pool B
Asia / Pacific 1 v Europe 2, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
Pool C
Fiji v Final Qualifier Winner, Stadium De Toulouse, Toulouse
Saturday, October 14th
Quarter-Final 1
Winner Pool C v Runner-Up Pool D, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Quarter-Final 2
Winner Pool B v Runner-Up Pool A, Stade De France, Paris
Sunday, October 15th
Quarter-Final 3
Winner Pool D v Runner-Up Pool C, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Quarter-Final 4
Winner Pool A v Runner-Up Pool B, Stade De France, Paris
Friday, October 20th
Semi-Final 1
Winner Quarter-Final 1 v Winner Quarter-Final 2, Stade De France, Paris
Saturday, October 21st
Semi-Final 2
Winner Quarter-Final 3 v Winner Quarter-Final 4, Stade De France, Paris
Friday, October 27th
Third Placed Playoff
Runner-Up Semi-Final 1 v Runner-Up Semi-Final 2, Stade De France, Paris
Saturday, October 28th
Final
Winner Semi-Final 1 v Winner Semi-Final 2, Stade De France, Saint-Denis
