What time is the Rugby World Cup on today? Kick-off time for France vs Uruguay and how to watch live on TV

The second round of Rugby World Cup fixtures begins today as hosts France look to continue their strong start to the tournament against Uruguay.

France announced themselves as favourites by defeating New Zealand at a packed Stade de France on opening night. Brushing aside a Uruguay side ranked 17th in the world is the next step on their journey to what they hope will be a maiden Webb Ellis trophy.

This will be Uruguay’s first match at the tournament. They have previously won only three of 15 matches across four World Cups, and know it will be a tough task to even put a dent in what is becoming one of France’s greatest ever teams.

What time is France vs Uruguay?

France vs Uruguay kicks off at 8pm BST from Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille.

The match will be shown live on ITV4, with coverage starting from 7.15pm. You can also watch online via ITVX.

Mark Pougatch will present the action, with analysis from Sean Fitzpatrick, Maggie Alphonsi and Gareth Thomas, and commentary by Miles Harrison and Gordon D’Arcy.

Rugby World schedule in full

All matches will be shown on ITV1 unless specified. Times are BST.

Pool matches

• Friday 8 Sept – France vs New Zealand, Stade de France, 8.15pm
• Saturday 9 Sept – Italy vs Namibia, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 12pm
• Saturday 9 Sept – Ireland vs Romania, Stade de Bordeaux, 2.30pm
• Saturday 9 Sept – Australia vs Georgia, Stade de France, 5pm
• Saturday 9 Sept – England vs Argentina, Stade de Marseille, 8pm
• Sunday 10 Sept – Japan vs Chile, Stade de Toulouse, 12pm
• Sunday 10 Sept – South Africa vs Scotland, Stade de Marseille, 4.45pm
• Sunday 10 Sept – Wales vs Fiji, Stade de Bordeaux, 8pm
• Thursday 14 Sept – France vs Uruguay, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 8pm – ITV4
• Friday 15 Sept – New Zealand vs Namibia, Stadium de Toulouse, 8pm
• Saturday 16 Sept – Samoa vs Chile, Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm – ITV4
• Saturday 16 Sept – Wales vs Portugal, Stade de Nice 4.45pm
• Saturday 16 Sept – Ireland vs Tonga, Stade de la Beaujoire, 8pm
• Sunday 17 Sept – South Africa vs Romania, Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm
• Sunday 17 Sept – Australia vs Fiji, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4.45pm
• Sunday 17 Sept – England vs Japan, Stade de Nice, 8pm
• Wednesday 20 Sept – Italy vs Uruguay, Stade de Nice, 4.45pm – ITV4
• Thursday 21 Sept – France vs Namibia, Stade de Marseille, 8pm – ITV4
• Friday 22 Sept – Argentina vs Samoa, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4.45pm
• Saturday 23 Sept – Georgia vs Portugal, Stadium de Toulouse, 1pm
• Saturday 23 Sept – England vs Chile, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4.45pm
• Saturday 23 Sept – South Africa vs Ireland, Stade de France, 8pm
• Sunday 24 Sept – Scotland vs Tonga, Stade de Nice, 4.45pm
• Sunday 24 Sept – Wales vs Australia, OL Stadium, 8pm
• Wednesday 27 Sept – Uruguay vs Namibia, OL Stadium, 4.45pm – ITV4
• Thursday 28 Sept – Japan vs Samoa, Stade de Toulouse, 8pm – ITV4
• Friday 29 Sept – New Zealand vs Italy, OL Stadium, 8pm
• Saturday 30 Sept – Argentina vs Chile, Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm
• Saturday 30 Sept – Fiji vs Georgia, Stade de Bordeaux, 4.45pm
• Saturday 30 Sept – Scotland vs Romania, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 8pm
• Sunday 1 Oct – Australia vs Portugal, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4.45pm – ITV4
• Sunday 1 Oct – South Africa vs Tonga, Stade de Marseille, 8pm
• Thursday 5 Oct – New Zealand vs Uruguay, OL Stadium, 8pm – ITV4
• Friday 6 Oct – France vs Italy, OL Stadium, 8pm
• Saturday 7 Oct – Wales vs Georgia, Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm
• Saturday 7 Oct – England vs Samoa, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4.45pm
• Saturday 7 Oct – Ireland vs Scotland, Stade de France, 8pm
• Sunday 8 Oct – Japan vs Argentina, Stade de la Beaujoire, 12pm
• Sunday 8 Oct – Tonga vs Romania, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4.45pm – ITV4
• Sunday 8 Oct – Fiji vs Portugal, Stade de Toulouse, 8pm – ITV4

Quarter-finals

• Saturday 14 Oct – Winner Pool C vs Runner-up Pool D, Stade de Marseille, 4pm
• Saturday 14 Oct – Winner Pool B vs Runner-up Pool A, Stade de France, 8pm
• Sunday 15 Oct – Winner Pool D vs Runner-up Pool C, Stade de Marseille, 4pm
• Sunday 15 Oct – Winner Pool A vs Runner-up Pool B, Stade de France, 8pm

Semi-finals

• Friday 20 Oct – Winner QF 1 vs Winner QF 2, Stade de France, 8pm
• Saturday 21 Oct – Winner QF 3 vs Winner QF 4, Stade de France, 8pm

Bronze medal match

• Friday 27 Oct – Runner-up SF 1 vs Runner-up SF 2, Stade de France, 8pm

Final

• Saturday 28 Oct – Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2, Stade de France, 8pm

What should we expect from France vs Uruguay?

There are 12 changes to France’s starting 15 that beat New Zealand. Only lock Cameron Woki, inside back Yoram Moefana and wing Gabin Villiere have retained their starting positions.

No 8 Anthony Jelonch captains the team for the first time since the 2021 tour of Australia, in his first match in nearly seven months. He ruptured his ACL in the Six Nations in February.

Fly half Antoine Hastoy plays his fifth career test, and winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey will become France’s youngest World Cup player at 20 years, 87 days, eclipsing Romain Ntamack.

Hooker Pierre Bourgarit said at a pre-match press conference: “We’re getting into this game just like the one against New Zealand. There’s a gap on paper, but the Uruguay players will want to do well. There is too much to lose by looking down on them.”

Five of Uruguay’s matchday 23 play their club rugby in France, including Castres scrum half Santiago Arata, who has recovered from a broken hand in May to start his first test since November 2021. This will be the first time the two sides have met.

“We are crazy about making history in this World Cup,” backs coach Joaquin Pastore said. “It is our first match in the World Cup and it will be historic. First time against France. Uruguay is arriving in a way that it has never done before. Before we were amateurs, and today we arrived with a good players’ base.”

Uruguay’s main goal in the pool is to beat Italy and Namibia to seal direct qualification for the next World Cup, but winger Ignacio Facciolo said they will also take the matches against France and New Zealand seriously.

“We do not rule out the France and New Zealand games,” Facciolo said. “We are going to play them as equals and we are going to go out and win. Uruguay will never give up a game as a lost cause.”