The knockout stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup is the second and final stage of the competition, following the pool stage. Played from 14 to 28 October, the knockout stage will end with the final, held at Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The top two teams from each pool advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination tournament. There will be 8 matches in the knockout stage, including a third-place play-off played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.
Format
The knockout stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup will be contested by the eight teams that qualified from the pool stage, the top two teams from each of the four pools. Matches in the knockout stage are played to a result; if the scores are tied at the end of 80 minutes, a 10-minute period of extra time is played; if scores remain level after extra time, an additional 10-minute "sudden death" period will be played, and the first team to score any points wins. If the score still remains tied, a kicking competition will ensue. All times listed are local in Central European Summer Time (UTC 2).
Qualified teams
Wales were the first side to secure qualification to the knockout stage after their record breaking victory over Australia in the pool stage. England became the next side to qualify for the quarter-finals four days later after Japan's victory over Samoa in Pool D. This result also meant England were the first team to be guaranteed top seed. New Zealand secured their place in the knockout stage after their pool match win over Uruguay. Hosts France also confirmed their place the following day after their victory over Italy. Ireland and South Africa both qualified from Pool B simultaneously following Ireland's victory over Scotland. Argentina edged Japan to progression from Pool D following their victory over the Brave Blossoms in their final match. In the last match of the pool stage, Fiji were narrowly defeated by Portugal in Pool C but still qualified for the knockout stage ahead of Australia based on their head-to-head record against the Wallabies who suffered elimination from the World Cup at the pool stage for the first time.
Bracket
Quarter-finals
Wales vs Argentina
Notes:
- Referee Jaco Peyper was forced to withdraw from the match in the 16th minute, after sustaining a calf injury. He was replaced by assistant referee Karl Dickson. Reserve official Jordan Way took Dickson's place as an assistant.
Ireland vs New Zealand
England vs Fiji
France vs South Africa
Semi-finals
Argentina vs New Zealand
Notes:
- With this victory, New Zealand advanced to a fifth World Cup final – a new record for final appearances at the tournament.
- Facundo Isa (Argentina) earned his 50th test cap.
- Will Jordan (New Zealand) equalled the World Cup record of 8 tries scored at a single tournament (shared with Bryan Habana, Jonah Lomu and Julian Savea).
- After receiving a yellow card in the 66th minute, Scott Barrett did not return to the field, despite the sin bin period elapsing with 4 minutes still remaining on the clock. This meant that New Zealand finished the match with 14 players.
England vs South Africa
Notes:
- Owen Farrell became the second highest all-time points scorer in test rugby (including points scored for both England and the British & Irish Lions), surpassing Jonny Wilkinson (1,246) and moving behind top scorer Dan Carter (1,598).
Bronze final: Argentina vs England
Notes:
- England finished as bronze medallists for the first time in World Cup history.
- Tom Curry (England) earned his 50th test cap.
- The crowd of 77,674 was the biggest ever crowd for a Rugby World Cup third-place play-off/bronze final, surpassing the previous record of 62,712 set at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Final: New Zealand vs South Africa
Notes:
- South Africa became the first team to win a fourth World Cup title.
- South Africa became the first team to win successive World Cup titles away from home.
- South Africa became the second team (after New Zealand in 2015) to retain the World Cup.
- This was the third time that the World Cup final winner earned their victory without scoring a try – a feat previously achieved by South Africa in 1995 and 2007.
- Sam Cane (New Zealand) became the first player to receive a red card in a World Cup final.
- The four cards issued in the match (one red and three yellows) set a new record for most cards issued in a World Cup final. There had been just one card issued across the previous nine finals – a yellow card against New Zealand's Ben Smith in 2015.
- This was the first World Cup final in which both finalists had lost a match during the pool stages.
- This was the first World Cup final in which all four match officials were appointed from the same union (England).
- Brothers Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett and Scott Barrett all started for New Zealand – the first time that three siblings played in a World Cup final.
- Beauden Barrett (New Zealand) became the first player to score a try in 2 separate Rugby World Cup finals, having scored a try in the 2015 RWC Final and another try in the 2023 RWC Final.
Notes
References
