It's finally time for one of the main sporting events of the year to kick off and you'll be delighted to know that you won't have to go far to watch it as TV3 have exclusive rights to the whole kit and caboodle.

Friday

It all kicks off this evening at 6pm on TV3 when Matt Cooper, Keith Wood, Matt Williams and Hugo McNeill begin TV3’s RWC2015 coverage with an hour long countdown show looking at the history of competition, what we can expect from Joe Schmidt’s Ireland and whether this be the year New Zealand win the William Webb Ellis Trophy away from home? The overriding topic of discussion for the panel will be pressure of course as the biggest sporting event this year kicks off. Can Ireland hold it together to advance beyond the quarter final stages and maybe even win the World Cup?

At 7pm then we head to Twickenham where the Live Rugby World Cup opening ceremony is taking place. It's set to be a fun-filled affair with colour, pageantry and bit of dancing to celebrate the start of international rugby’s 8th World Cup tournament.

At 7.30pm we head back to studio where the lads preview the opening match of the tournament which will see England take on Fiji in what will be a Pool A clash. England have never lost to Fiji in five previous meetings, but could the RugbyWorld Cup hosts be on the end of a shock?

At 10pm then we are back in studio where Matt Cooper and his panel give reaction to the game as well as looking ahead to Ireland’s Pool D opener with Canada tomorrow.

After all that, if you still want to talk rugby, Joe Molloy and Andrew Maxwell will be up next for a special live episode of new sports comedy panel The Sin Bin.

Saturday

TV3 - 11.00am - Pool C: Tonga v Georgia
Kick off: 12.00pm
Gloucester Stadium

Tommy Martin introduces the opening match of Pool C where Tonga take on Georgia at Kingsholm in Gloucester. Former Ireland lock Malcolm O’Kelly analyses the action.

 

TV3 - 1pm - Pool D: Ireland v Canada
Kick off: 2.30pm
Millennium Stadium

And we're up! It's Ireland's turn to take to the pitch in their first match of the tournament where they take on Canada. Matt Cooper hosts live in studio analysis from TV3 RWC pundits Keith Wood, Matt Williams and Shane Jennings. Fingers crossed we start as we mean to go on with a winning performance here.

TV3 - 4.30pm - Pool B: South Africa v Japan
Kick off: 4.45pm
Brighton

Two-time World Champions South Africa meet Japan at Brighton’s Community Stadium in the first match of Pool B.

 

TV3 - 7pm - Pool D: France v Italy
Kick off: 8pm
Twickenham

Matt Cooper hosts live in studio analysis from TV3 RWC pundits Keith Wood, Matt Williams and Shane Jennings as France meets Italy in the second Pool D match of the day.

Sunday

TV3 - 11.30am - Pool B: Samoa v USA
Kick off: 12pm
Brighton

Coverage of the first of the day's three matches comes from the Brighton Community Stadium, as the Pool B sides get their campaigns under way. With South Africa and Scotland among the other nations in this pool, both teams will be well aware of the importance of winning this fixture if they are challenge the top two's expected supremacy.

 

TV3 - 2pm - Pool A: Wales v Uruguay
Kick off - 2.30pm
Millennium Stadium

Pool A continues with this fixture at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where Wales will expect to record a comfortable victory against the South Americans. Uruguay are playing in only their third World Cup and their first since 2003, having edged past Russia in a two-legged play-off to qualify, but could not have been given any tougher task than that which awaits them in the so-called Pool of Death.

TV3 - 4.30pm - Pool C: New Zealand v Argentina
Kick off: 4.45pm
Wembley

The opening round of fixtures reaches a conclusion with this Pool C match at Wembley Stadium, as the reigning champions begin the defence of their title against the Pumas. Regardless of the result of this match, both nations are heavily fancied to reach the quarter-finals, with the All Blacks starting as tournament favourites, as they aim to become the first side to successfully defend their crown.

 

And that's it for the weekend! More Rugby action continues exclusively on TV3 on Wednesday when the Scots take on the Japanese.

You can also catch all of this weekend's action on the TV3 Player too which you'll find if you head here, or you can download the app here.

Happy viewing!
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