he Rugby World Cup is well underway, with ITV screening all the matches live and exclusive this year.
England got a real confidence boost in Marseille on Saturday night, seeing off Argentina 27-10 at the Stade Velodrome despite seeing Tom Curry’s very early yellow card for head-on-head contact with Pumas full-back Juan Cruz Mallia upgraded to red following a bunker review.
Steve Borthwick’s side more than stepped up with 14 men, George Ford kicking three drop goals and six penalties to lead them to a rousing opening win in Pool D.
Hosts France edged New Zealand in an epic tournament curtain-raiser on Friday night, and followed it up with a hard-fought victory over Uruguay in matchday two.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa kicked off with a physical win over Scotland in Paris, while Ireland blitzed Romania with 12 tries and Johnny Sexton back in the fold.
Wales held off the spirited late challenge of Fiji amid complaints over the refereeing in a Bordeaux thriller, while Australia are finally up and running in Eddie Jones’ second spell in charge after beating Georgia.
World Cup debutants Chile gave a solid account of themselves in defeat by Japan, while Italy took their time but eventually thrashed minnows Namibia. The action resumes on Thursday evening when France return against Uruguay in Pool A, before the All Blacks will hope to bounce back on Friday night in Toulouse.
Pool Stages
All times BST, unless stated
Friday, September 8
Saturday, September 9
Sunday, September 10
Thursday, September 14
Friday, September 15
New Zealand vs Namibia (Stadium de Toulouse, 8pm, ITV4)
Saturday, September 16
Samoa vs Chile (Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm, ITV4)
Wales vs Portugal (Stade de Nice, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Ireland vs Tonga (Stade de la Beaujoire, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 17
South Africa vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm, ITV1)
Australia vs Fiji (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4:45pm, ITV1)
England vs Japan (Stade de Nice, 8pm, ITV1)
Wednesday, September 20
Italy vs Uruguay (Stade de Nice, 4:45pm, ITV4)
Thursday, September 21
France vs Namibia (Stade Velodrome, 8pm, ITV4)
Friday, September 22
Argentina vs Samoa (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 23
Georgia vs Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse, 1pm, ITV1)
England vs Chile (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4:45pm, ITV1)
South Africa vs Ireland (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 24
Scotland vs Tonga (Stade de Nice, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Wales vs Australia (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Wednesday, September 27
Uruguay vs Namibia (OL Stadium, 4:45pm, ITV4)
Thursday, September 28
Japan vs Samoa (Stadium de Toulouse, 8pm, ITV4)
Friday, September 29
New Zealand vs Italy (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 30
Argentina vs Chile (Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm, ITV1)
Fiji vs Georgia (Stade de Bordeaux, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Scotland vs Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 8pm, ITV)
Sunday, October 1
Australia vs Portugal (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4:45pm, ITV1)
South Africa vs Tonga (Stade Velodrome, 8pm, ITV1)
Thursday, October 5
New Zealand vs Uruguay (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Friday, October 6
France vs Italy (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Saturday, October 7
Wales vs Georgia (Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm, ITV1)
England vs Samoa (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Ireland vs Scotland (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, October 8
Japan vs Argentina (Stade de la Beaujoire, 12pm, ITV1)
Tonga vs Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4:45pm, ITV3)
Fiji vs Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse, 8pm, ITV4)
Quarter-finals
Saturday, October 14
Winner of Pool C vs Runner-up of Pool D (Stade Velodrome, 4pm, ITV1)
Winner of Pool B vs Runner-up of Pool A (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, October 15
Winner of Pool D vs Runner-up of Pool C (Stade Velodrome, 4pm, ITV1)
Winner of Pool A vs Runner-up of Pool B (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Semi-finals
Friday, October 20
Winner of quarter-final 1 vs Winner of quarter-final 2 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Saturday, October 21
Winner of quarter-final 3 vs Winner of quarter-final 4 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Bronze final
Friday, October 27
Loser of semi-final 1 vs Loser of semi-final 2 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Final
Saturday, October 28
Winner of semi-final 1 vs Winner of semi-final 2 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
