"All Blacks Redemption" - Top 5 Rugby World Cup Matches to Watch this Weekend

Rugby fans have an extra day of international action to enjoy, with this weekend's eight fixtures beginning an day early. There are heavy try downfalls predicted over the long weekend, with three of the eight matches presenting real "David vs Goliath" encounters. Hosts France look to press on from their impressive opening round win over the All Blacks, as they take on Uruguay this Thursday 14th September (Lille - Kick Off 8pm GMT).

New Zealand are in action the following evening, with redemption on their minds as they face Namibia.

Where will you be watching next weekend's 2023 Rugby World Cup action?

Make a Greene King pub your Rugby Rendezvous. Watch the big games on the big screens they deserve. Enjoy having great food and drink on tap. Take your pick of juicy match-ups with all the home nations, global giants, and 15-a-side superstars ready to ruck.

Here are the Top 5 Rugby World Cup Matches to watch this weekend.

If you like tries, then this one will be unmissable for you. After losing the opening round match against France, the All Blacks will have to put out an emphatic statement of intent against Namibia this weekend. With Les Bleus now looking like favourites to top Pool A, New Zealand will have to record an almighty points tally if they want to overtake Italy for second place in the group.

Italy ran out a resounding 52-8 victory over Namibia in the opening weekend, and currently sit atop the pool with a comfortable points difference of +44. However, Italy now sit this week out, and an expected French win over Uruguay will send Les Bleus to the top of the pool with two wins. The All Blacks need a win of more than 44 points to overtake Italy and push them into second place.

Despite the match being against a lower level of opposition, do not expect to see the All Blacks go easy on Namibia. The two sides have met twice before at the Rugby World Cup pool stages, with this being the third consecutive run-in between the two sides. In 2015, the All Blacks secured a resounding 58-14 win, before inflicting more damage in Japan four years later, with a 71-9 land-slide victory.

The All Blacks enter this match ready to let off steam. The past two matches for Ian Fosters men have ended in record breaking defeats. The 35-7 loss to South Africa at Twickenham was the All Blacks' heaviest defeat in their history, and the following 27-13 loss to France was New Zealand's first ever defeat in the pool stages of the Rugby World Cup. Namibia have never won a match at the Rugby World Cup, and the Southern African side will want to turn this All Blacks downward spiral into a complete nosedive.

The chances of Namibia beating the All Blacks are incredibly small, but not impossible. Are we about to witness the upset of the century this Friday evening, or will New Zealand kick back into gear with a heavy victory in Toulouse?

Andy Farrell's men achieved a record win for Ireland at the Rugby World Cup, with a 82-8 thrashing of Romania, in the opening round last weekend. This time out they face considerably tougher opposition, in the form of Tonga. After sitting out the opening round with a bye, the Sea Eagles enter the competition fired up, and ready to unleash all their pent-up adrenaline on the number one team in the world.

Tonga have recently been making full use out of the new eligibility laws, which sees an international player (with ancestorial or residency allowance) swap nations after a three year stand-down period. The Pacific Islanders have bolstered their squad in recent months with the likes of former All Blacks George Moala, Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau, as well as ex-Wallabies lock Adam Coleman.

Tonga will be fired up to establish themselves within the competition, as on paper they have been written out of progressing from the 'Pool of Death'. Alongside Ireland, South Africa and Scotland, Tonga are in no way favourites to make the knock-out stages, but this may well play into the favour of Toutai Kefu's side. Tonga can throw caution to the wind, and play without any expectations in a style that could well shock Ireland in the early goings.

However, the men from the Emerald Isle are definite favourites. Ireland's mission will be for more of the same, to establish an unobtainable points difference between themselves and fellow pool favourites South Africa. After a competitive 18-3 win over Scotland, the Springboks take on Romania this Sunday (14:00 KO, Bordeaux). South Africa will aim to elapse Ireland's 74 point margin of victory, to claim their place at the top of Pool B.

Wales will have their tails up heading into this weekend's match, after securing a thrilling 32-16 win over Fiji. However, this triumph over the Pacific Islanders could well have been lost at the very last minute, had Fijian centre Semi Radradra not spilt the ball in a try-scoring opportunity. Warren Gatland's men recognise how they were fortunate to secure the win, yet this Wales side have certainly come good when it mattered the most.

Gatland's men do not look like the same side that sunk to fifth in the 2023 Six Nations, as they played with cohesiveness and direction in the win over Fiji. An enraged outburst from Dan Biggar on the stroke of half-time optimised the Welsh fire, with this side of proud countrymen looking capable of progressing into the latter stages, of this albeit favourable Rugby World Cup draw. Next up for Gatland's men is Portugal, who are embarking on just their second trip to the Rugby World Cup.

The Wolves made their debut appearance at the tournament back in 2007, where they were coincidentally drawn in Pool C for that competition in France. Portugal failed to record a win on their first trip, as they took losses to New Zealand, Scotland, Italy and Romania. If this match was played immediately following the 2023 Six Nations and the WRU contract saga, then an upset could have been on the cards against a Wales side's who's minds were anywhere but on the pitch.

However, Gatland's men look to have established a clear focus. They have moved on from losing their legends, with Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric's pre-World Cup exits not hindering their performances. A military style boot-camp has crafted a team of Welsh soldiers, who will be eyeing up this weekend as an opportunity to fire the 'Gatland gun', for serious points-scoring daylight between themselves and the chasing pack in Pool C.

Australia secured their first win under Eddie Jones last weekend, in a hard-hitting 35-15 win over Georgia. The Wallabies ended their five match losing streak, that stretched back to the start of the 2023 Rugby Championship this past Summer. This match against the Flying Fijians is arguably the hardest to predict of the weekend, with the Pacific Islanders fired up for redemption after a narrow defeat to Wales.

Simon Raiwalui's side were at the top of their game against Wales, in what was the match of the weekend for the opening round of action. However, they were unable to get the job done, and will need a victory over the Wallabies if they want to stay in the hunt for a place in the play-off places. This match is truly all to play for, the Wallabies are in no way in 'world beating' form, yet they did present quite a lot of positive take-homes from the win against the Eastern Europeans.

Fiji entered the tournament hot off the back of beating England for the first time in history, yet the Welsh fire burned brighter than any Fijian flame in last weekend's defeat. Radradra's knock on in the final play of the game was the brutal decisive factor for Fiji , who had climbed to seventh in the World Rugby rankings ahead of the tournament. Wales' win has taken the side back up to eighth in the rankings, after entering the competition ranked at tenth.

The Wallabies and Fiji have swapped rungs in the rankings, with Australia heading into this weekend at seventh, whilst Fiji drop down to nineth. This match looks set to go down to the wire again, as the unpredictability of Pool C continues. After ending their losing streak the momentum goes to the Wallabies, with Eddie Jones' sides ever so slightly favourited for Sunday's hotly anticipated match-up.

Steve Borthwick's side close out the action for round two of the Rugby World Cup pool stages, as they look to build on their opening win over Argentina. George Ford played an inspired Wilkinson-esque match, with his three drop goals and six penalties kicking uncatchable daylight between his side and the South Americans.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Borthwick spoke to the media immediately after the game, ensuring that all focus is now on Japan. Borthwick's record in charge of England now stands at four wins in 10 games, yet England are in no way guaranteed victory against this Sunday's opponents. Japan have made a recent habit of upsetting some of the world's biggest teams on the Rugby World Cup stage. Look no further than the 'Brighton Miracle' of 2015, to see Japan defy the odds with a comeback win over South Africa.

The Brave Blossoms then secured a clean sweep of victories over Ireland, Scotland, Samoa and Russia at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, to finish at the top of Pool A. And despite losing Eddie Jones as Head Coach after the 2015 Rugby World Cup, former All Black Jamie Joseph remains in charge after their home-soil competition four years ago. England need to view this match as any other high-stakes test, with over-confidence being a proven downfall for sides when they face the Brave Blossoms.

Joseph's men began their Rugby World Cup campaign last weekend, with a clinical display against Chile. Despite Los Condores possessing the element of the unknown in their World Cup debut, Japan were able to squash the threat of the South Americans, with a convincing win that has flown under the radar for some England fans. Understandably, supporters of Borthwick side could have been caught up in jubilant celebration after the win over Los Pumas, yet they should not ignore Japan's 42-12 statement of intent from last Sunday.

RUCK's Prediction: England 26 - 15 Japan, Nice, 20:00 KO GMT