When is the Rugby Championship? Full schedule for 2023 tournament

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 Rugby Championship

New Zealand are defending champions once again (Getty Images)

The Rugby Championship returns as the four best southern hemisphere sides look to gain some vital momentum heading into the World Cup.

In the 2022 edition, New Zealand claimed their third successive title, with a final-round victory against Australia meaning the Kiwis edged out second-place South Africa thanks to bonus points after both sides won four of their six games.

The championship also saw memorable moments for Argentina, with Los Pumas a first victory against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil and a record win over the Wallabies.

For Australia, the tournament will also represent the first fixtures for returning head coach Eddie Jones, who coached the Wallabies between 2001 and 2005 and returned on a deal until 2027 having been sacked by England in December last year.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the Rugby Championship schedule?

Normally, the Rugby Championship sees a total of 12 games with each team playing each other home and away.

However, as is the tradition in World Cup years, each nation will only play each other once to allow a sufficient break before the quadrennial showpiece, which begins in France in early September.

The fixtures for this year’s tournament are as follows (all times in BST):

Round one (8th July):

South Africa 43-12 Australia

Argentina 12-41 New Zealand

Round two (15th July):

New Zealand v South Africa - Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland (8:05am)

Australia v Argentina - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (10:45am)

Round three (29th July):

Australia v New Zeland - Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (10:45am)

South Africa v Argentina - Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg (4:05pm)

How can I watch the Rugby Championship?

Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch every minute of the Rugby Championship on Sky Sports. Subscribers can also stream the action live via Sky Go.