The Rugby World Cup 2023 is kicking off on September 8th, and one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament is the Wales vs Australia matchup on September 25th. Wales is ranked 7th in the world, while Australia is ranked 9th, but both teams are always dangerous opponents, especially in a one-off match.
The match will be held at the OL Stadium in Lyon, France, which has a capacity of 59,186. The referee for the match will be Wayne Barnes from the United Kingdom.
- What it is: Rugby World Cup 2023
- Matchup: Wales vs Australia
- Time: 25/09/2023 21:00 Local Time, 3 PM ET
How to watch Wales vs Australia on TV
In the United States, the match will be broadcast live on NBC. NBC is the exclusive broadcast partner for the Rugby World Cup in the United States. To watch the match on NBC, you will need a cable subscription or a live TV streaming service such as FuboTV, SlingTV, Peacock, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or YouTube TV.
In the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live on ITV and S4C. ITV is the free-to-air broadcaster of the Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom. To watch the match on ITV, you will need a TV aerial or a Freeview subscription. S4C is a Welsh-language TV channel that will also be broadcasting the match live. To watch the match on S4C, you will need a TV aerial or a Freeview subscription in Wales.
In Australia, the match will be broadcast live on Stan Sport. Stan Sport is a subscription-based streaming service that offers live and on-demand coverage of a variety of sports, including rugby. To watch the match on Stan Sport, you will need a subscription.
In South Africa, the match will be broadcast live on SUPERSPORT and SABC Sport. SUPERSPORT is a subscription-based satellite TV provider that offers live and on-demand coverage of a variety of sports, including rugby. SABC Sport is the free-to-air broadcaster of the Rugby World Cup in South Africa. To watch the match on SABC Sport, you will need a TV aerial or a Freeview subscription.
In Ireland, the match will be broadcast live on RTE and VIRGIN. RTE is the free-to-air broadcaster of the Rugby World Cup in Ireland. To watch the match on RTE, you will need a TV aerial or a Freeview subscription. VIRGIN is a cable and broadband provider that also offers live TV streaming services. To watch the match on VIRGIN, you will need a subscription.
For more TV listings, visit: https://rwcglobally.com/tv-rights/
How to watch Wales vs Australia online
In the United States, the match will be streamed live on Peacock. Peacock is a subscription-based streaming service that offers live and on-demand coverage of a variety of sports, including rugby. To watch the match on Peacock, you will need a subscription.
In the United Kingdom, the match will be streamed live on ITVX. ITVX is a free-to-watch streaming service that offers live and on-demand coverage of a variety of sports, including rugby. To watch the match on ITVX, you will need to create an account.
In Japan, the match will be streamed live on DAZAN. DAZAN is a subscription-based streaming service that offers live and on-demand coverage of a variety of sports, including rugby. To watch the match on DAZAN, you will need a subscription.
Selected matches will also be streamed live on RUGBYPASS TV. RUGBYPASS TV is a subscription-based streaming service that offers live and on-demand coverage of a variety of rugby matches, including Rugby World Cup matches. To watch the match on RUGBYPASS TV, you will need a subscription.
For more tv streaming service listings, visit: https://rwcglobally.com/
Preview of the Wales vs Australia match
The Rugby World Cup has witnessed some monumental clashes, including France vs. New Zealand and South Africa vs. Ireland, but few games carry as much significance as the upcoming showdown between Wales and Australia in Lyon.
Australia’s unexpected 22-15 loss to Fiji last weekend has thrown Pool C wide open, putting their qualification for the knockout phase in jeopardy. This would be a disappointing outcome considering Rugby Australia’s CEO, Phil Waugh, stated that reaching the semi-finals was the target.
For the Wallabies, Ben Donaldson moves from full-back to fly-half, relegating Carter Gordon to the bench, and Andrew Kellaway starts at full-back. Other changes include Tate McDermott’s return at scrum-half and Robert Leota’s start at blindside flanker, with Tom Hooper shifting to openside. Hooker David Porecki will captain the team in the absence of the injured Will Skelton.
On the other hand, Wales has had a perfect start with 10 points out of a possible 10. A victory against Australia in this crucial match would secure their place in the quarter-finals with one pool phase round to go. However, it’s not a guaranteed outcome.
Head coach Warren Gatland has reintroduced 12 players from the opening match against Fiji after they were rested against Portugal. Only Taulupe Faletau, Louis Rees-Zammit, and captain Jac Morgan retain their starting positions. Furthermore, Adam Beard will earn his 50th Welsh cap, and 51st overall.
The fixture between Wales and Australia is set to take place at OL Stadium in Lyon, with a capacity of 58,883 fans, and kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 local time (GMT+2). Australia has dominated the fixture history, winning 16 of their last 20 matches against Wales, including three of the four Rugby World Cup meetings during that period, one of which was the 2011 bronze final.
A memorable match between these two teams occurred in September 2019 at Tokyo Stadium. Wales secured their only pool-stage Rugby World Cup victory over Australia with a thrilling 29-25 win. Wales had to endure a fierce second-half comeback by Australia, where an 18-point lead was nearly erased, but Rhys Patchell’s 73rd-minute penalty sealed the victory. It marked Wales’ first tournament win against the southern hemisphere’s “big three” in 32 years.
One of the key talking points leading up to this match is Australia’s form in Pool C. Over the past year, the Wallabies have won just three times in 15 matches, with victories against Georgia and Scotland during the current tournament and against Wales in November last year.
In a crucial player head-to-head, Ben Donaldson faces off against Dan Biggar. Donaldson, who switches from fullback to fly-half for this pivotal match, previously started at fly-half against Wales in November 2021 when Biggar was injured. That match ended in a 39-34 victory for the Wallabies after they trailed 34-13 when Donaldson was substituted off by then-coach Dave Rennie in the 53rd minute.
An interesting statistic to note is that during their journey to the bronze final at RWC 2011, Wales conceded just five tries and 56 points in six matches. However, they conceded two more tries and 21 points in the bronze final against Australia, resulting in a 21-18 loss.
TEAMS
WALES Liam Williams; Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Gareth Thomas, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis; Will Rowlands, Adam Beard; Aaron Wainwright, Jac Morgan (captain), Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Henry Thomas, Dafydd Jenkins, Taine Basham, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Rio Dyer
AUSTRALIA Andrew Kellaway; Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete; Ben Donaldson, Tate McDermott; Angus Bell, David Porecki (captain), James Slipper, Nick Frost, Richard Arnold, Robert Leota, Tom Hooper, Rob Valetini
Replacements: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, Pone Fa’amausili, Matt Philip, Fraser McReight, Nic White, Carter Gordon, Suli Vunivalu
