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Twenty teams will compete at Rugby World Cup 2023. Where does each competitor play home matches? Do some teams have a permanent home venue and others move matches between different venues and / or cities? Yes. Who, then hosted more matches across their territory and who concentrates home matches in fewer cities?
This article will answer the above. It will do so by documenting the cities that played host to international matches from 2020-2023. They are listed in order from most to least. The range is from seven to zero for test matches. The one country with pro is Namibia who played a warm-up match at home against the Bulls in August.
Of note is that Metropolitan areas are not considered separately. That is to say that while Australia had home matches in different Sydney venues, east and west, they are considered together as the one city. The same applies elsewhere such as in Buenos Aires and Tokyo.
AUSTRALIA (7)
The Wallabies hosted the 2020 Rugby Championship. With South Africa not participating, it was the 2020 Tri Nations Series. Australia played home matches against New Zealand in Brisbane and Sydney and faced Argentina in Newcastle and Sydney. Different venues used in 2022 were Melbourne against France, Gold Coast against South Africa and Perth against New Zealand. Adelaide hosted South Africa in 2022.
ITALY (7)
Italy’s home Six Nations matches take place in Rome though Florence hosted Italy vs Scotland in November 2020. Rome also hosted Italy vs New Zealand in 2021 and Florence also hosted Italy vs Australia in 2022. Treviso hosted the November 2021 test against Argentina and Italy took-on Uruguay that month in Parma. The RWC 2019-2023 cycle also saw Italy facing Samoa in Padua and South Africa in Genoa. The scheduled match against Fiji in Ancona in November 2020 was cancelled. Italy hosted Romania in San Benedetto del Tronto in August, 2023.
JAPAN (7)
The RWC 2019 hosts played home matches across five cities in the years between RWCs 2019 and 2023. The southern city of Oita played host to Japan vs Australia in 2021. Kitakyushu hosted one of two test matches against Uruguay in 2022 with the other being in Tokyo. The Japanese capital also hosted matches against France, and New Zealand while Toyota hosted a test match against France. Japan’s prepared for the World Cup against Samoa in the northern city of Sapporo, against Tonga in Osaka and Fiji in Tokyo. Japan also hosted matches against the All Blacks XV in Kumamoto and Tokyo.
SOUTH AFRICA (7)
The Springboks’ did not play in 2020. They returned to have a busy 2021. It included facing Georgia in Pretoria, the British & Irish Lions in Cape Town and Argentina in Port Elizabeth. South Africa faced Wales in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town in 2022 and hosted Rugby Championship matches against New Zealand in Nelspruit and Johannesburg and against Argentina in Durban. Johannesburg and Pretoria also hosted 2023 home matches.
ARGENTINA (6)
Los Pumas did not play at home in 2020 or 2021. Their first home matches came in the form of a series against Scotland in July 2022. Matches were played in the northern cities of Jujuy, Salta and Santiago del Estero. The western city of Mendoza hosted a Rugby Championship match against Australia 2022 and one against New Zealand in 2023. The Wallabies also played in San Juan in 2022 while South Africa played in Buenos Aires both years.
FRANCE (6)
Rugby World Cup 2023 hosts compare well against other RWC 2023 competitors. Paris is the permanent home of Six Nations matches while there is a split in home matches in November windows. France faced Argentina and New Zealand in Paris in 2021 and Australia in Paris in 2022. France took-on Georgia in Bordeaux in 2021, Japan in Toulouse in 2022 and Marseille hosted South Africa in 2022. Lyon hosted the French Barbarians vs Tonga in 2021 while nearby St. Étienne hosted Scotland in 2023 and France faced Fiji in Nantes.
NEW ZEALAND (5)
The All Blacks hosted matches against Australia in Auckland and Wellington in 2000. Australia and Tonga played in Auckland in 2021 while Fiji played on both the South Island and North Island, facing New Zealand in Dunedin and Hamilton. Ireland played Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington in 2022 while Argentina played in Christchurch and Auckland and Dunedin in 2023.
CHILE (4)
RWC 2023 debutants, Chile played home matches during the RWC 2019-2023 cycle at a variety of venues in Santiago. These included facing Brazil and Scotland ‘A’ as well as the RWC qualifier against the USA. Prior to that Chile eliminated Canada at the Estadio Elías Figueroa in Valparáiso. The southern city of Temuco also hosted Namibia in 2023. In 2022 Temuco was where Chile completed a series win over Brazil. Chile’s three home matches in 2023 were in Valparaíso, Temuco and Antofagasta. Temuco and Antofagasta hosted Chile vs Argentina XV while Valparaíso hosted Chile vs Namibia.
GEORGIA (4)
Georgia played home matches in a range of venues in Tbilisi from 2000-2023. These included European Championship fixtures against Germany, Portugal, Romania, Russia, and Spain as well s November 2022 Internationals against Samoa, and Uruguay. Telavi played host to Georgia vs the Netherlands in 2021, the Black Sea city of Batumi hosted Georgia vs Italy in 2022 while Belgium played in Kutaisi in 2000 and the Argentina XV did so in 2022.
PORTUGAL (4)
2023 will see Portugal returning to the Rugby World Cup. Os Lobos prior tournament was in 2007, coincidentally also in France. Lisbon hosted Brazil in 2020 and matches in the 2021 Rugby Europe Championship against Georgia, Romania and Spain. Belgium also played in the capital in 2020 and 2023 as did Canada in 2021, and Italy and the Argentina XV in 2022. Portugal faced Japan in Coimbra while Caldas da Rainha hosted matches including Romania in 2020 and the Netherlands in 2022. Os Lobos faced the USA in Algarve in 2023.
FIJI (2)
Like all RWC 2023 competitors, disruptions affected Fiji. There were no incoming July tours from the north during the RWC 2019-2023 cycle. Fiji played host to the 2022 Pacific Nations Cup. Home matches were against Tonga in Suva and Australia ‘A’ and Samoa in Lautoka. Fiji’s other matches from 2000-2023 were all played outside of the country.
ROMANIA (2)
Romania played home matches in two cities between 2020 and 2023. The capital city of Bucharest was heavily used. The new Stadionul Naţional de Rugby Arcul de Triumf is the national rugby stadium. It opened for Romania’s home match against Argentina in 2021. It also hosted Italy in 2022 and a range of Tier 2 and Tier 3 opposition including Chile, Georgia, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Tonga and Uruguay. Botoșani hosted Romania vs Spain in 2020.
WALES (2)
Wales played home matches in two cities. The regular home of the national team, Cardiff, was not available at all times. This saw the decision taken to play in Llanelli. Wales faced England, Italy and Scotland at the home of Welsh Region the Scarlets. Other home matches were all played in Cardiff.
ENGLAND (1)
All of England’s home test match took place at Twickenham Stadium in London. They were against Six Nations opposition in addition to Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan, Georgia, New Zealand, South Africa, Tonga and the USA.
IRELAND (1)
Every Irish home match was in the capital of the republic of Ireland, Dublin. They included matches in the Six Nations Championship and touring opponents. Ireland played host to Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA from 2020-2023.
NAMIBIA (1)
Namibia went the entirety of the RWC 2019-2023 cycle without hosting a test match. All scheduled fixtures were all moved. Windhoek had been set to host Rugby World Cup Qualifiers against Cotê d’Ivoire and Madagascar but they were moved to the Cotê d’Ivoire . The African Finals were played in France. Namibia faced against South African side the Bulls in Windhoek. That followed Namibia’s tour of South America in July and August.
SAMOA (1)
Samoa had a long wait; the country did not play a home test match from 2020-2022. Rugby World Cup Qualifiers were played in other countries including facing Tonga in New Zealand. Samoa played host to Fiji and Tonga in Apia in 2023.
SCOTLAND (1)
Scotland’s home fixtures from 2020-2023 were played exclusively at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. They involved Six Nations fixtures and matches against Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Tonga.
TONGA (1)
Unlike Samoa, Tonga’s lack of home matches is not out of the ordinary. It is rare for Tonga to play a home test match. Tonga played matches in 2021 in neutral venues in New Zealand and in 2022 in Australia and Romania. Tonga hosted Australia A in Nuku’alofa in July, 2023 and then Canada in August.
URUGUAY (1)
A comparison can be made between Los Teros and The Home Unions. The Estadio Charrúa is the home of Uruguayan Rugby. Montevideo is where Uruguay mostly play and it is where all home matches took place from 2020-2023. Los Teros played home matches against Argentina XV, Brazil, Chile, Romania, Spain and the USA.
