Rugby World Cup 2023 Week 4 preview, lineups, predictions
Wow, after a week of incredible Rugby World Cup rugby we’re heading towards the pointy end!
While most quarterfinal spots are all but locked in, results this week could have huge implications on who plays who in knock out rounds in two weeks time.
Read ahead for team lists and previews.
– RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023: Squads | Schedule | Standings | Podcast | Injuries
Jump ahead to a particular game.
Wednesday, September 27
Uruguay vs. Namibia, OL Stadium, Lyon (5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45p.m. GMT)
Uruguay: Baltazar Amaya, Bautista Basso, Felipe Arcos Perez, Andres Vilaseca, Nicolas Freitas, Felipe Etcheverry, Santiago Arata, Carlos Deus, Santiago Civetta, Manuel Ardao, Manuel Leindekar, Felipe Aliaga, Diego Arbelo, German Kessler, Mateo Sanguinetti.
Replacements: Guillermo Pujadas, Facundo Gattas, Reinaldo Piussi, Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Eric Dosantos, Agustin Ormaechea, Felipe Berchesi, Juan Manuel Alonso
Namibia: Cliven Loubser, Gerswin Mouton, Alcino Izaacs, Danco Burger, JC Greyling, Tiaan Swanepoel, Damien Stevens, Richard Hardwick, Tjiuee Uanivi, Prince Gaoseb, Tiaan De Klerk, Adriaan Ludick, Johan Coetzee, Torsten Van Jaarsveld, Jason Benade.
Replacements: Louis van der Westhuizen, Desiderius Sethie, Haitembu Shifuka, PJ Van Lill, Max Katjijeko, Adriaan Booysen, Jacques Theron, Andre van der Bergh.
Verdict: The battle to avoid the wooden spoon in Pool A gets us going in week four of the Rugby World Cup, a match where Uruguay will start heavy favourites. After an impressive first-up showing against the tournament hosts, the South Americans put Italy under genuine stress last week before they lost their skipper to the sin-bin, and that proved the beginning of the end.
Namibia have meanwhile been much further off the pace and almost gave up the ton to France last week. It was a sorry night for the Africans, who lost skipper Jean Deysel to a red card for a dreadful tackle on French superstar Antoine Dupont, a hit that has cost the Namibia captain a five-week ban.
They will, however, have targeted this game as their best chance of an unlikely victory in what has become another sorry tournament for the Welwitschias. But it’s hard to see them getting within 15 points of the Uruguayans who are one of the developing rugby nations genuinely on an uphill curve.
Tip: Uruguay by 23.
Thursday, September 28
Japan vs. Samoa, Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse (9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. GMT)
Japan: Lomano Lemeki, Kotaro Matsushima, Dylan Riley, Ryoto Nakamura, Jone Naikabula, Rikiya Matsuda, Yutaka Nagare; Kazuki Himeno, Pieter Labuschagne, Michael Leitch, Amato Fakatava, Jack Cornelsen, Jiwon Gu, Shota Horie, Keita Inagaki.
Replacements: Atsushi Sakate, Craig Millar, Asaeli Ai Valu, Warner Dearns, Kanji Shimokawa, Naoto Saito, Seungsin Lee, Tomoki Osada.
Samoa: Duncan Paia’aua, Ed Fidow, Tumua Manu, Alai D’Angelo Leuila, Ben Lam, Christian Leali’ifano, Jonathan Taumateine, Sa Jordan Taufua, Fritz Lee, Taleni Seu, Theo McFarland, Chris Vui (co-captain), Paul Alo-Emile, Seilala Lam, James Lay.
Replacements: Sama Malolo, Jordan Lay, Michael Alaalatoa (co-captain), Steven Luatua, Alamanda Motuga, Melani Matavao, Neria Fomai, Danny Toala.
Verdict:
Tip:
Friday, September 29
New Zealand vs. Italy, OL Stadium, Lyon (9p.m. local / 5a.m. AEST / 8p.m. GMT)
New Zealand:
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Italy:
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Verdict:
Tip:
Saturday, September 20
Argentina vs. Chile, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes (3p.m. local / 11p.m. AEST / 2p.m. GMT)
Argentina:
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Chile:
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Verdict:
Fiji vs. Georgia, Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux (5:45p.m. local / 1:45a.m. AEST / 4:45p.m. GMT)
Fiji:
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Chile:
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Verdict:
Tip:
Scotland vs. Romania, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille (9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEST / 8p.m. GMT)
Scotland:
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Romania:
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Verdict:
Tip:
Sunday, October 1
Australia:
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Portugal:
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South Africa vs. Tonga, Stade de Marseille, Marseille (9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. GMT)
South Africa:
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Tonga:
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Verdict:
Tip:
Source: News
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