The venues for the 2015 Rugby World Cup were announced yesterday, with thirteen different stadia included on the list.

The most talked about venue is likely to be the Olympic Stadium, which will host five fixtures involving the likes of South Africa, New Zealand and France. It will also host Ireland v Italy and the third place play off.

Twickenham will host ten games, including the final and both semi finals, while it will share the hosting of the quarter finals with the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the only stadium outside of England that will be used.

Aside from those two grounds, the only other rugby specific grounds that will be used are Kingsholm in Gloucester and Sandy Park in Exeter.

Wembley is also on the list but will only be used twice, though with the All Blacks signed up for one of those fixtures and Ireland the other, it has certainly been treated to a couple of bumper fixtures.

England will play one fixture in Manchester and the Manchester City Stadium and all of the rest of their fixtures will be at Twickenham, including their key clash against Wales. Wales had tried to have it staged at the Millennium but instead be playing two of their lower key fixtures there, with their other bumper clash against Australia also being held at Twickenham, a canny move by the English organisers.

The venues are:

Twickenham – 81,605 (London)

Wembley – 90,256 (London)

Olympic Stadium – 54,000 (London)

Millennium Stadium – 74,154 (Cardiff)

Etihad Stadium – 47,800 (Manchester)

St James’ Park – 52,409 (Newcastle)

Elland Road – 37,914 (Leeds)

King Power Stadium – 32,312 (Leicester)

Villa Park – 42,785 (Birmingham)

Kingsholm – 16,115 (Gloucester)

Stadium MK – 30,717 (Milton Keynes)

Amex Stadium – 30,750 (Brighton)

Sandy Park – 12,300 (Exeter)

Fixtures & Venues:

Friday 18^th – England v Oceania 1 (Twickenham) Pool A

Saturday 19^th – South Africa v Asia 1 (Brighton) Pool B

Saturday 19^th – Tonga v Europe 1 (Gloucester) Pool C

Saturday 19^th – Ireland v Americas 1 (Cardiff) Pool D

Saturday 19^th – France v Italy (Twickenham) Pool D

Sunday 20^th – Wales v Play-off winner (Cardiff) Pool A

Sunday 20^th – Samoa v Americas 2 (Brighton) Pool B

Sunday 20^th – New Zealand v Argentina (Wembley) Pool C

Wednesday 23^rd – Australia v Oceania 1 (Cardiff) Pool A

Wednesday 23^rd – Scotland v Asia 1 (Gloucester) Pool B

Wednesday 23^rd – France v Europe 2 (Olympic Stadium) Pool D

Thursday 24^th – New Zealand v Africa 1 (Olympic Stadium) Pool C

Friday 25^th – Argentina v Europe 1 (Gloucester) Pool C

Saturday 26^th – England v Wales (Twickenham) Pool A

Saturday 26^th – South Africa v Samoa (Birmingham) Pool B

Saturday 26^th – Italy v Americas 1 (Leeds) Pool D

Sunday 27^th – Australia v Play-off winner (Villa Park) Pool A

Sunday 27^th – Scotland v Americas 2 (Leeds) Pool B

Sunday 27^th – Ireland v Europe 2 (Wembley Stadium) Pool D

Tuesday 29^th – Tonga v Africa 1 (Exeter) Pool C

Thursday 1^st October – Wales v Oceania 1 (Cardiff) Pool A

Thursday 1^st – France v Americas 1 (Milton Keynes) Pool D

Friday 2^nd – New Zealand v Europe 1 (Cardiff) Pool C

Saturday 3^rd – England v Australia (Twickenham) Pool A

Saturday 3^rd – Samoa v Asia 1 (Milton Keynes) Pool B

Saturday 3^rd – South Africa v Scotland (Newcastle) Pool B

Sunday 4^th – Argentina v Tonga (Leicester) Pool C

Sunday 4^th – Ireland v Italy (Olympic Stadium) Pool D

Tuesday 6^th – Play-off winner v Oceania 1 (Milton Keynes) Pool A

Tuesday 6^th – Americas 1 Europe 2 (Leicester) Pool D

Wednesday 7^th – South Africa v Americas 2 (Olympic Stadium) Pool B

Wednesday 7^th – Africa 1 v Europe 1 (Exeter) Pool C

Friday 9^th – New Zealand v Tonga (Newcastle) Pool C

Saturday 10^th – Australia v Wales (Twickenham) Pool A

Saturday 10^th – England v Play-off winner (Manchester) Pool A

Saturday 10^th – Samoa v Scotland (Newcastle) Pool B

Sunday 11^th – Americas 2 v Asia 1 (Gloucester) Pool B

Sunday 11^th – Argentina v Africa 1 (Leicester) Pool C

Sunday 11^th – Italy v Europe 2 (Exeter) Pool D

Sunday 11^th – France v Ireland (Cardiff) Pool D

Quarter-finals

Saturday 17^th – Winner C v Second D (Cardiff)

Saturday 17^th – Winner B v Second A (Twickenham)

Sunday 18^th – Winner D v Second C (Cardiff)

Sunday 18^th – Winner A v Second B (Twickenham)

Semi-finals

Saturday 24^th – Winner C/Second D v Winner B/Second A (Twickenham)

Sunday 25^th – Winner D /Second C v Winner A/Second B (Twickenham)

Finals

Friday 30^th – 3^rd Place Play Off (Olympic Stadium)

Saturday 31^st  – Final (Twickenham)