The Rugby World Cup 2023

Ed Williams has been reporting for the Yorkshire Times, part of the p.ublished group of online newspapers, on his local club, Wharfedale RUFC. Today he becomes our international rugby correspondent and is in France for the Rugby World Cup 2023. Here is his first report...


I am writing this in my hotel in Bordeaux having flown over Friday morning with a group of fellow Welshmen. The mood was moderately confident without being jubilant.

We are in Bordeaux for the Wales game against Fiji on Sunday night. The mood picked up quite considerably when quite a few of the gang met up at a nearby bar to meet up with Scott Quinell. Scott raised the spirits considerably. In the same hotel are Georgians and Irish supporters and we will be gathering at the Sports Bar again tonight to watch France vs New Zealand.

The World Cup as far as the other teams go is an open affair. Most supporters here are saying that there are three main teams in the running to be champions - Ireland, France and South Africa. Many differing opinions on which of the three will triumph.

Scotland are probably the strongest of the other home nations but have a very tough group to get out of; they could do it. England need to get some shape but should be able to make progress from a tame group. A loss to Argentina could still mean that they could qualify. Wales’s ambition to reach the quarter-finals could be halted by any of three other teams in their group; Fiji, Australia and Georgia. If Wales don’t beat Portugal your scribe has promised to have his hair bleached.

Never, of course, write off the All Blacks, with Argentina and Australia capable of creating waves.