Rugby World Cup 2007 fixtures

 

Pool A

England, South Africa, Samoa, USA, Tonga

Pool B

Australia, Wales, Fiji, Canada, Japan

Pool C

New Zealand, Scotland, Italy, Romania, Portugal

Pool D

France, Ireland, Argentina, Georgia, Namibia

 

 

 

7 September:

France v Argentina, Stade de France, Paris, Pool D (2000 BST)

 

8 September:

England v USA, Lens, Pool A (1700 BST)

Australia v Japan, Lyon, Pool B (1445 BST)

New Zealand v Italy, Marseille, Pool C (1245 BST)

 

9 September:

Ireland v Namibia, Bordeaux, Pool D (1900 BST)

Wales v Canada, Nantes, Pool B (1300 BST)

South Africa v Samoa, Parc des Princes, Paris, Pool A (1500 BST)

Scotland v Portugal, St Etienne, Pool C (1700 BST)

 

11 September:

Argentina v Georgia, Lyon, Pool D (1900 BST)

 

12 September:

Italy v Romania, Marseille, Pool C (1900 BST)

USA v Tonga, Montpellier, Pool A (1300 BST)

Japan v Fiji, Toulouse, Pool B (1700 BST)

 

14 September:

England v South Africa, Stade de France, Paris, Pool A (2000 BST)

 

15 September:

Ireland v Georgia, Bordeaux, Pool D (2000 BST)

Wales v Australia, Cardiff, Pool B (1400 BST)

New Zealand v Portugal, Lyon, Pool C (1200 BST)

 

16 September:

Fiji v Canada, Cardiff, Pool B (1300 BST)

Samoa v Tonga, Montpellier, Pool A (1500 BST)

France v Namibia, Toulouse, Pool D (2000 BST)

 

18 September:

Scotland v Romania, Edinburgh, Pool C (2000 BST)

 

19 September:

Italy v Portugal, Parc des Princes, Paris, Pool C (1900 BST)

 

20 September:

Wales v Japan, Cardiff, Pool B (2000 BST)

 

21 September:

France v Ireland, Stade de France, Paris, Pool D (2000 BST)

 

22 September:

South Africa v Tonga, Lens, Pool A (1300 BST)

Argentina v Namibia, Marseille, Pool D (2000 BST)

England v Samoa, Nantes, Pool A (1500 BST)

 

23 September:

Scotland v New Zealand, Edinburgh, Pool C (1600 BST)

Australia v Fiji, Montpellier, Pool B (1330 BST)

 

25 September:

Canada v Japan, Bordeaux, Pool B (1700 BST)

Romania v Portugal, Toulouse, Pool C (1900 BST)

 

26 September:

Georgia v Namibia, Lens, Pool D (1700 BST)

Samoa v USA, St Etienne, Pool A (1900 BST)

 

28 September:

England v Tonga, Parc des Princes, Paris, Pool A (2000 BST)

 

29 September:

Australia v Canada, Bordeaux, Pool B (1400 BST)

Wales v Fiji, Nantes, Pool B (1600 BST)

Scotland v Italy, St Etienne, Pool C (2000 BST)

New Zealand v Romania, Toulouse, Pool C (1200 BST)

 

30 September:

France v Georgia, Marseille, Pool D (1400 BST)

South Africa v USA, Montpellier, Pool A (1900 BST)

Ireland v Argentina, Parc des Princes, Paris, Pool D (1600 BST)

 

6 October:

QF1: W Pool B v RU Pool A, Marseille (1400 BST)

QF2: W Pool C v RU Pool D, Cardiff (2000 BST)

 

7 October:

QF3: W Pool A v RU Pool B, Marseille (1400 BST)

QF4: W Pool D v RU Pool C, Stade de France, Paris (2000 BST)

 

13 October:

SF1: W QF1 v W QF2, Stade de France, Paris (2000 BST)

 

14 October:

SF2: W QF3 v W QF4, Stade de France, Paris (2000 BST)

 

19 October:

3rd place play-off, Parc des Princes, Paris (2000 BST)

 

20 October:

Final, Stade de France, Paris (2000 BST)

 

*Fixtures, dates and times are subject to late change

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/3711557.stm

Australia to start with big guns

 

Mortlock captained Australia in the Tri-Nations series this year

 

Australia captain Stirling Mortlock was named in a full-strength Wallabies team to face Japan on Saturday.

 

Mortlock had been a doubt because of a back injury which had forced him to miss training, but the 30-year-old will line up with Matt Giteau in midfield.

 

Full-back Chris Latham returns to the line-up after undergoing knee surgery, but there is no place in the 22-man squad for flanker Phil Waugh.

 

George Smith will start at open-side flanker, with Stephen Moore at hooker.

 

Coach John Connolly has opted for a hugely experienced line-up, with the starting XV boasting more than 800 Test caps between them.

 

However, the former Bath boss has included uncapped 21-year-old fly-half Berrick Barnes on the bench.

 

"We thought it was in Berrick's interest to involve him in the game early before we throw him in at the end, just for his own development and feeling comfortable in the team," said Connolly.

 

"We've included Barnes because we thought it was important to get him into the mix and playing, and we're comfortable with that."

 

The Wallabies face Wales in Cardiff in their second Pool B game, and Connolly has one eye on that clash already.

 

"We had always planned to play our strongest team for our first two pool matches," he said.

 

"We want to build towards the Wales match with a strong performance on Saturday and we will get a good opportunity to do that against Japan."

 

Australia have been drawing large crowds at their public training sessions in Montpellier, and Connolly said the sessions had taken on an extra edge.

 

"It adds a bit of pressure in the training when you play in front of 9,000 people," he said.

 

"It was good for us. It was a bit like a little mini-game in terms of pressure - there was an expectation to train well from the people watching."

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Australia: Chris Latham; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock (capt), Matt Giteau, Lote Tuqiri; Stephen Larkham, George Gregan; Matt Dunning, Stephen Moore, Al Baxter, Nathan Sharpe, Dan Vickerman, Rocky Elsom, George Smith, Wycliff Palu.

Replacements: Adam Freier, Guy Shepherdson, Hugh McMeniman, Stephen Hoiles, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Mark Gerrard.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6974147.stm

Referees ready for Cup clampdown

 

Paddy O'Brien is now the International Rugby Board's referee manager

 

Dissent, foul play and illegal clothing will be closely looked at during the forthcoming World Cup, according to referees' chief Paddy O'Brien.

O'Brien has had two days of talks with World Cup coaches and insisted that the "best 12 referees in the world" would be taking charge of games at the event.

 

He admitted key areas needed to be looked at and claimed the standard of touch judging has been "appalling".

 

But he expressed concern with coaches complaining about refs to the media.

 

"We have concerns about the amount of coaches running to the media with their complaints," said O'Brien.

 

"It is not fair on referees that they are judged in the media, without the right of a fair hearing or a report coming in. I have given coaches my contact details. I want them to speak to me."

 

Other areas that referees assessors will focus on in France are feeding into the scrums, flankers breaking from the scrum too early and players walking across a line-out before the ball has been thrown in.

 

O'Brien, a former Test referee and now the International Rugby Board's referee manager, fears too many incidents of foul play are being missed.

 

"I am not hiding behind the fact that touch judging in the last 12 months has been appalling," he said.

 

"We are asking them 'for goodness sake, touch judge and don't referee the game'. We are very concerned about the standard of touch judging throughout rugby."

 

But he wants referees to be respected during the tournament, which starts in Paris on Friday, and he said: "There has been a lot of publicity about the amount of talk going on, people questioning a referee's decisions.

 

"We have made it clear that when a referee makes a decision, rightly or wrongly, it should be respected.

 

"We will not hide behind refereeing errors. But I will defend referees if they are correct."

 

And players have been warned that their clothing will be inspected before games.

 

"Several sides are wearing what can only be described as American football garb," he said.

 

"We are going to inspect the players' clothing in the dressing room and also when the players are on the field after the anthems.

 

"Areas we are looking at are armguards that are outside regulations, shoulder padding, sternum pads. We are seeing some players use them in foul play."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6980531.stm

Wilkinson return remains unclear

 

Wilkinson is treated after injuring his ankle in training

 

England have not set a return date for Jonny Wilkinson after the fly-half suffered an ankle ligament sprain during training on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old has already been ruled out of England's World Cup opener against the USA in Lens on Saturday.

 

Wilkinson will now receive intensive treatment and England say there will be no further update until next Tuesday.

 

That is the day England name the team for their crunch pool game against South Africa on 14 September.

 

The Newcastle half-back underwent an X-ray after limping out of training which confirmed he did not break the ankle but a scan revealed a lateral ligament sprain to his right ankle.

 

He now faces a race against time to be fit for that crucial Stade de France clash against Springboks and there is still a possibility that he could be ruled out for the entire tournament.

 

Wilkinson has been plagued by injuries since landing the drop goal that claimed World Cup victory for England in 2003.

 

Since that famous night in Sydney, the Newcastle half-back has suffered shoulder, neck, groin, biceps and knee ligament injuries as well as a lacerated kidney and appendicitis.

 

He only returned to the England team earlier this year in the Six Nations clash against Scotland.

 

Despite the blow of losing Wilkinson for the USA contest, scrum-half Shaun Perry is confident replacement number 10 Olly Barkley will slot in with little problem.

 

"It doesn't really change anything in terms of the game plan," said Perry. "Jonny is a legend, and you cannot take that away from him. He has that presence about him when he is playing.

 

"But I played alongside Olly against the French at Twickenham last month, and we are looking forward to going out there and taking that partnership a bit further.

 

"We have been together for 10 weeks, so it is not hard to build a relationship in training.

 

"Olly is a great player. He bosses the forwards well and he bosses the backs well, which is what you need.

 

"As far as I am concerned, nothing changes. We've got our defensive system in place, and no matter who comes in or goes out, that system is there for a reason and that is what we all stick to.

 

"We know it is going to be a physical game on Saturday, and we will need to stick to our game plan, execute it well and the results will come.

 

"The World Cup starts for us this Saturday, and we've got to get a win under our belts, get confidence and move on to next week."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/6979533.stm

Highlights from Rugby World Cup 2003

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NUfycPwtXjM

England VS Australia Rugby World Cup Final 2003

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pcoF-8syDIQ

Great memories, but unfortunately we're gonna get stuffed.:(

past the group stage?

Preview: France v Argentina

 

Pichot: Imagining holding something aloft?

 

This is the moment the rugby world has been waiting for. The whistle will at last sound and the 2007 Rugby World Cup will be under way. What a thrill!

 

When the opening ceremony is over at Stade de France and Tony Spreadbury blows on the ancient whistle, the world will let out a gasp of relief. The waiting is over. It will be like lancing a boil as the players burst into action and the crowd breaks out into cries in the ground and in bars and rugby clubs and homes all around the world. For some it will be late at night, for some early in the morning, for the people of Argentina a convenient time, just after siesta.

 

Now it will be team against team, player against player, hero against hero in a pool regarded as especially tough. Two teams from Pool D will go on to the quarter-finals - two out of three of the top teams in the world - France, ranked third, Ireland, ranked fifth, and Argentina, ranked sixth. The winner of this opening match will go through to the quarter-finals, barring mathematical peculiarities.

 

Apart from that call to arms for France and Argentina, there is also the added spice of propinquity. The two countries may be separated by ocean and hemisphere but so many of the Pumas are Europe-based and more particularly France-based, that there is something of civil war in this, and everybody knows the bitterest wars are civil wars.

 

That is going to demand greater than usual discipline of the teams and Bernard Laporte's France has been remarkably disciplined during his coaching time.

 

France have conceded slightly fewer penalties than Argentina - only four against Wales - and neither side has been heavily sanctioned with yellow cards. Spreadbury referees with chirpy words and a smile which can become a giggle but he is also not shy of punishing what is wrong. Good discipline will be important.

 

For the Pumas this is the third World Cup in a row that they will have played in the opening match - against Wales in 1999, against Australia in 2003 and now against France. The idea of hosts against reigning champions was an accident of 1991 and 1995. In 1987 the hosts All Blacks played against Italy, a one-sided, feeble start to the World Cup. This match in Saint-Denis is unlikely to be one-sided.

 

The two teams met in Paris last November. France won 27-26 - the same two countries with the same referee on the same field. But things were slightly different. The Pumas were on a roll at the time with victories over England and Italy. France were coming off a string of four defeats. Things are slightly different this time.

 

France are on a roll after satisfying victories over England (twice) and Wales in their warm-ups while the Pumas beat Chile and lost to Wales. France at the moment are playing with confidence and with all 15 players involved. The Pumas were doing that in November. If they can revive that there will be a contest.

 

France have the huge advantage of the home ground. Not that French soil will be all that foreign to the Pumas but here the support will all be for the home nation which is also the host nation. The French take great glee in winning trophies. This one has eluded them. The surge of the nation will be behind France. The Pumas who play in France will be used to shared support, not the passion that is likely to burst forth from Stade de France on Friday night.

 

Ones to Watch: You will watch Agustín Pichot who is so valuable to the Pumas' effort but may just be losing his edge now. After all, his great year was 1999. You will also want to see Cédric Heymans, the French fullback, something of a surprise choice for the sturdy player with the booming boot and thrustful running, as he has played mostly on the wing.

 

Head to Head: The more interesting individual performances will be in the match-ups, of which there are several. In group contests, France would seem to have the better of the three-quarter battle with greater experience, speed and creativity. If the battle can be won here, France will win it.

 

If the match is to be won up front, honours are likely to be even, though the Pumas may well win the battle of the front rows. France are never to be underestimated up front.

 

If the match is to be won through the loose forwards, France seem to have a decided edge, especially in the speed of Rémy Martin and Serge Betsen.

 

There is not much to choose between the main goal-kickers - David Skréla (France) and Felipe Contepomi (Argentina), though if dapper Federico Todeschini enters the fray, the Pumas will have the better goal-kicker, and fly-half Juan Hernandez is no slouch with the boot either.

 

Two of the finest hookers in the world face each other - veteran Raphaël Ibañez (France) against Mario Ledesma (Argentina), both sturdy men who cane get about the field effectively, Ledesma slightly more so than Ibañez.

 

Then there is the contest at inside centre - stronger Yannick Jauzion against cleverer Felipe Contepomi.

 

The most interesting of all the individual battles is likely to be at fly-half - David Skréla (France) against Juan Martín Hernández (Argentina). Both are big men - Skrela at 1,91m and 95 kg, bigger than Hernández at 1,87m and 90kg, but Hernández has the advantage of speed and creativity. He is more likely to ignite a spark than the sturdy Skréla. Skréla has greater experience in the position than Hernández who has been mainly a fullback and a wing. Adding to the spice of this contest is the fact that they come from the same club - Stade Français. Hernández has for some time wanted to play fly-half but Skrela has been the one to keep him in remoter places.

 

Recent Results:

 

France have the better record overall, as the full list of match results below suggests, but the Pumas have had the better of contests in recent times.

 

2006: France won 27-26 at Stade de France, Paris

2004: Argentina won 24-14 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseilles

2003: Argentina won 33-32 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

2003: Argentina won 10-6 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

2002: Argentina won 28-27 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1999: France won 47-26 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin in the quarter-final of the World Cup

 

Prediction: France are just so good at the moment that we expect them to win by ten points or more.

 

Teams:

 

France: 15 Cédric Heymans, 14 Aurélien Rougerie, 13 Damien Traille, 12 Yannick Jauzion, 11 Christophe Dominici, 10 David Skréla, 9 Pierre Mignoni, 8 Imañol Harinordoquy, 7 Rémy Martin, 6 Serge Betsen, 5 Jérôme Thion, 4 Fabien Pelous, 3 Pieter De Villiers, 2 Raphaël Ibañez (captain), 1 Olivier Milloud.

Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Sébastian Chabal, 19 Julien Bonnaire, 20 Thierry Dusautoir, 21 Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, 22 Frédéric Michalak.

 

Argentina: 15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Lucas Borges, 13 Manuel Contepomi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Agustín Pichot (captain), 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7 Lucas Ostiglia, 6 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Martín Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.

Replacements: 16 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17 Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, 18 Rimas Alvarez, 19 Martín Durand, 20 Nicolás Fernandez Miranda, 21 Federico Todeschini, 22 Hernán Senillosa.

 

Date: Friday, 7 September, 2007

Kick-off: 21.00 (20.00 BST, 19.00 GMT)

Venue: Stade de France, Paris Scattered clouds, clearing, with a high of 21°C, dropping to 12°C and a breeze from the northeast of some 7 km/h. What a perfect night for a great rugby occasion!

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)

Touch judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

 

 

Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

 

Results down the years

 

2006: France won 27-26 at Stade de France, Paris

2004: Argentina won 24-14 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseilles

2003: Argentina won 33-32 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

2003: Argentina won 190-6 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

2002: Argentina won 28-27 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1999: France won 47-26 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin in the quarter-final of the World Cup

1998: France won 34-14 at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes

1998: France won 37-12 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1998: France won 35-18 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1997: France won 32-27 at Stade Maurice Trelut, Tarbes

1996: France won 34-15 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1996: France won 34-27 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1995: France won 47-12 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1992: Argentina won 24-20 at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes

1992: France won 33-9 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1992: France won 27-12 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1988: France won 28-18 at Stadium Nord, Villeneuve d'Ascq

1988: France won 29-9 at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes

1988: Argentina won 18-6 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1988: France won 18-15 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1986: France won 22-9 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1986: Argentina won 15-13 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

1985: France won 23-15 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1985: Argentina won 24-16 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1982: France won 13-6 at Parc des Princes, Paris

1982: France won 25-12 at Stadium Municipal, Toulouse

1977: Draw 18-18 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1977: France won 26-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1975: France won 36-21 at Parc des Princes, Paris

1975: France won 29-6 at Stade de Gerland, Lyon

1974: France won 31-27 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1974: France won 20-15 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1960: France won 29-6 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1960: France won 12-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1960: France won 37-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1954: France won 30-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1954: France won 22-8 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires

1949: France won 12-3 at Estadio Maldonado, Buenos Aires

1949: France won 5-0 at Estadio Maldonado, Buenos Aires

 

http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/World_Cup/Story/0,21043,13088_2713066,00.html

Ian....what do you think of the italian team.?..do we have chances to pass to the Quarter Finals?....we hope it so much:D!!!i know that Scots are angry of their loss in Murrayfield last february against us.....

NewZealand will undoubtably top the table, so progression for Italy will probably need a win against the scots

Another 3 early tries might do it :P

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/scottish/6389855.stm

past the group stage?

 

We might just about manage that if we're lucky.;)

Shocking start by the hosts France

:o

HALF-TIME France 9-17 Argentina

Yes, it's taking place in Paris and it starting rightnow (France vs Argentina).

Comeon' Argentina

:dance:

what an awful kick by Skrela! :stunned:

 

Have you been listening to James Blunt again?:rolleyes:

No, i don't have any CD of James Blunt. I'm not fond of rugby, it makes me yawn.

No, i don't have any CD of James Blunt. I'm not fond of rugby, it makes me yawn when France are losing.

 

I thought as much...

Penalty to Arg to seal it!

I don't have TV here...

Poor you :(

Nahhhh