50 days until the Rugby World Cup: Who are Wales playing - and when?

  • Wales
Welsh fans will experience the highs and lows of another World Cup campaign. Credit: PA

With 50 days to go until the start of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, here's our guide to who Wales will be playing - and what Warren Gatland's side need to do to escape their 'Group of Death.'

The World Cup is being hosted by England, with eight matches at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

After training camps in Switzerland and Qatar, Warren Gatland's squad have three warm-up games, before their World Cup campaign begins on 20 September.

Warm-up matches:

  • Sat 8 August, 1430 - Wales v Ireland - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

  • Sat 29 August, 1430 - Ireland v Wales - Aviva Stadium, Dublin

  • Sat 5 September, 1700 - Wales v Italy - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Read More: Why Wales have been training at altitude in the Swiss Alps

Warren Gatland will have to narrow down his 47-man training squad to a final World cup squad of 31, by 31 August, ahead of Wales' final warm-up game, and the tournament itself.

World Cup fixtures - Pool A:

  • Sun 20 September, 1430 - Wales v Uruguay - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

  • Sat 26 September, 2000 - England v Wales - Twickenham Stadium, London

  • Thur 1 October, 1645 - Wales v Fiji - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

  • Sat 10 October, 1645 - Australia v Wales - Twickenham Stadium, London

Wales face England at Twickenham in a hotly-anticipated World Cup clash. Credit: PA

In pictures: Welsh squad training in 40C heat in Doha

The top two teams from each pool will progress to the quarter-finals, so Wales will most likely need to beat either England or Australia to escape from what's being described as the 'Group of Death.'

How will points be allocated during the pool stage?

  • 4 points for a win

  • 2 points for a draw

  • 0 points for a defeat

  • 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries

  • 1 bonus point for losing by seven points or less

Wales will face Australia again, in World Cup Pool A. Credit: PA

What happens if teams finish the group stages level on points?

These criteria will be used, in the following order:

  • The winner of the match between the two tied teams will be higher ranked

  • The team which have the best points difference in their pool matches will be higher ranked

  • The team which have the best difference between tries scored and tries conceded in their pool matches will be higher ranked

  • The team which have scored most points in their pool matches will be higher ranked

  • The team which have scored most tries in their pool matches will be higher ranked

  • Should the tie still be unresolved, the Official World Rugby Rankings on 12 October 2015 will determine which team will be higher ranked

Go to the Rugby World Cup website for the full tournament rules

Wales' 2011 World Cup campaign ended in semi-final heartbreak, after captain Sam Warburton was controversially sent off. Credit: PA

What about the knockout stages?

If Wales manage to progress from Pool A, they will face one of the sides qualifying from Pool B, which include South Africa, Scotland and Samoa.

  • The quarter-finals will be played on 17 and 18 October

  • The semi-finals will be played on 24 and 25 October

  • The World Cup final will be played on Sat 31 October at Twickenham Stadium, London

Who will follow in New Zealand's footsteps, and lift the Webb Ellis Cup in 2015? Credit: PA

Follow Wales' preparations for the World Cup on our website

Find out how ITV will be covering the 2015 Rugby World Cup here