The Rugby World Cup is the premier event in rugby union, and it’s no surprise that the tournament attracts so much attention and excitement every four years. For rugby fans, seeing the top teams from both the northern and southern hemispheres battle it out for the sport’s biggest prize is just irresistible.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup is currently taking place in France, with fans eagerly examining the Rugby World Cup odds as they try and predict the winners. There has been plenty of drama already in the tournament, with the promise of plenty more to come.

But what is it that makes the Rugby World Cup such a popular event? Let’s take a look at a few of the reasons why fans watch the tournament in such high numbers.

The scarcity

Just like the FIFA World Cup, the fact that the Rugby World Cup occurs only once every four years only serves to heighten its appeal.

While rugby fans are blessed to see many of the world’s top teams go head-to-head each year in the Six Nations, the Rugby Championship and the Autumn Internationals, it’s rare that all the rugby-playing nations come together for one tournament.

A lot can change in four years, and that’s what makes the Rugby World Cup such a delicious prospect for fans of the sport.

The stars

Of course, the fact that you have all the world’s top teams and players coming together is a major part of the Rugby World Cup’s appeal.

Whether it’s the might of the All Blacks, the Springboks or the Wallabies, seeing these great rugby-playing nations go up against each other with the biggest prize on the line is a massive part of the tournament’s appeal.

There is a great history to this tournament, driven by some memorable battles between the sport’s giants, as well as outstanding individual performances by its stars over the years.

The high stakes

With so much on the line, matches at the Rugby World Cup often feel a little different to other international fixtures throughout the season.

World Cup matches are often tactical affairs, where small margins can make a huge difference, so it’s vital that each team has a head coach capable of competing with the very best in the sport tactically.

World Cup matches sometimes feel cagey due to the fact there is so much on the line. No team wants to suffer a disappointing World Cup campaign and wait four years for the chance to put things right.

The physicality

As with any rugby tournament, the sheer physicality involved is what attracts many fans and spectators. These are elite rugby players and teams going toe to toe, and that naturally leads to some enthralling battles on the field.

There’s nothing like the crunch of hard tackles, and the brute force of a good scrum to get rugby fans’ hearts racing – it’s just one of the reasons why so many people will be tuning in to the Rugby World Cup in the next few weeks as it edges towards its conclusion