2015 Rugby World Cup Schedule: Complete fixture list, timings, venues and dates of all matches

Here we are then, the four-year wait is nearly over, and New Zealand will try to defend their title against the likes of England, Australia, South Africa, Wales and more, with the 2015 Rugby World Cup lifting off on Friday, with an interesting first match.

England, the hosts, will play Fiji at the fortress that is Twickenham, and this first match might be a pointer towards how well the home team are geared to snatch the World Cup title out of the hands of New Zealand, who, expectedly, are the pre-tournament favourites.

The first match begins on Friday with the final set to be held, also at Twickenham, on 31 October. England will hope to be there, so will New Zealand, so will Australia, South Africa and the rest of the 20 teams participating in the tournament.

Below is the complete schedule of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, with fixtures, venues, timings and dates of all the 48 matches.

Friday, September 18: Match 1: Pool A: England vs Fiji (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Twickenham, London.

Saturday, September 19: Match 2: Pool C: Tonga vs Georgia (12 pm BST, 4.30 pm IST, 7 am ET) at Kingsholm, Gloucester.

Match 3: Pool D: Ireland vs Canada (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Match 4: Pool B: South Africa vs Japan (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Brighton Community Stadium, Brighton.

Match 5: Pool D: France vs Italy (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Twickenham, London.

Sunday, September 20: Match 6: Pool B: Samoa vs USA (12 pm BST, 4.30 pm IST, 7 am ET) at Brighton Community Stadium, Brighton.

Match 7: Pool A: Wales vs Uruguay (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Match 8: Pool C: New Zealand vs Argentina (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Wembley, London.

Wednesday, September 23: Match 9: Pool B: Scotland vs Japan (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Kingsholm, Gloucester.

Match 10: Pool A: Australia vs Fiji (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Match 11: Pool D: France vs Romania (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.

Thursday, September 24: Match 12: Pool C: New Zealand vs Namibia (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.

Friday, September 25: Match 13: Pool C: Argentina vs Georgia (4.45 p BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Kingsholm, Gloucester.

Saturday, September 26: Match 14: Pool D: Italy vs Canada (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Elland Road, Leeds.

Match 15: Pool B: South Africa vs Samoa (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Villa Park, Birmingham.

Match 16: Pool A: England vs Wales (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Twickenham, London.

Sunday, September 27: Match 17: Pool A: Australia vs Uruguay (12 pm BST, 4.30 pm IST, 7 am ET) at Villa Park, Birmingham.

Match 18: Pool B: Scotland vs USA (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Elland Road, Leeds.

Match 19: Pool D: Ireland vs Romania 4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Wembley, London.

Tuesday, September 29: Match 20: Pool C: Tonga vs Namibia (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Sandy Park, Exeter.

Thursday, October 1: Match 21: Pool A: Wales vs Fiji (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Match 22: Pool D: France vs Canada (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Stadiummk, Milton Keynes.

Friday, October 2: Match 23: Pool C: New Zealand vs Georgia (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Saturday, October 3: Match 24: Pool B: Samoa vs Japan (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Stadiummk, Milton Keynes.

Match 25: Pool B: South Africa vs Scotland (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at St James' Park, Newcastle.

Match 26: Pool A: England vs Australia (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Twickenham, London.

Sunday, October 4: Match 27: Pool C: Argentina vs Tonga (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Leicester City Stadium, Leicester.

Match 28: Pool D: Ireland vs Italy (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Tuesday, October 6: Match 29: Pool D: Canada vs Romania (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Leicester City Stadium, Leicester.

Match 30: Pool A: Fiji vs Uruguay (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Stadiummk, Milton Keynes.

Wednesday, October 7: Match 31: Pool B: South Africa vs USA (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.

Match 32: Pool C: Namibia vs Georgia (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Sandy Park, Exeter.

Friday, October 9: Match 33: Pool C: New Zealand vs Tonga (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at St James' Park, Newcastle.

Saturday, October 10: Match 34: Pool B: Samoa vs Scotland (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at St James' Park, Newcastle.

Match 35: Pool A: Australia vs Wales (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 am IST, 11.45 am ET) at Twickenham, London.

Match 36: Pool A: England vs Uruguay (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Manchester City Stadium, Manchester

Sunday, October 11: Match 37: Pool C: Argentina vs Namibia (12 pm BST, 4.30 pm IST, 7 am ET) at Leicester City Stadium, Leicester.

Match 38: Pool D: Italy vs Romania (2.30 pm BST, 7 pm IST, 9.30 am ET) at Sandy Park, Exeter.

Match 39: Pool D: France vs Ireland (4.45 pm BST, 9.15 pm IST, 11.45 am ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Match 40: Pool B: USA vs Japan (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Kingsholm, Gloucester.

Quarterfinals: Saturday, October 17: Match 41: QF1: Winner Pool B vs Runner-up Pool A (4 pm BST, 8.30 pm IST, 11 am ET) at Twickenham, London.

Match 42: QF2: Winner Pool C vs Runner-up Pool D (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Sunday, October 18: Match 43: QF3: Winner Pool D vs Runner-up Pool C (1 pm BST, 5.30 pm IST, 8 am ET) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Match 44: QF4: Winner Pool A vs Runner-up Pool B (4 pm BST, 8.30 pm IST, 11 am ET) at Twickenham, London.

Semifinals: Saturday, October 24: Match 45: SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF2 (4 pm BST, 8.30 pm IST, 11 am ET) at Twickenham, London.

Sunday, October 25: Match 46: SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 (4 pm BST, 8.30 pm IST, 11 am ET) at Twickenham, London.

Friday, October 30: Third-place Playoff: Match 47: Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 (8 pm BST, 12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.

Saturday, October 31: Final: Match 48: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (4 pm BST, 8.30 pm IST, 11 am ET) at Twickenham, London.