The 2011 Rugby World Cup will be the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. At a meeting of the International Rugby Board (IRB) held in Dublin on 17 November 2005, New Zealand was selected as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa. There were two rounds of voting by the IRB Council to decide the host nation, with South Africa eliminated in the first round.
The event is expected to cost about NZ$310.0 million to run and will generate NZ$280 million in ticket sales. It will be the largest sporting event ever held in New Zealand, eclipsing the 1987 Rugby World Cup, 1990 Commonwealth Games, 1992 Cricket World Cup, 2003 America's Cup and 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. Around 70,000 visitors from overseas are expected to travel to New Zealand for the associated games and events.
The event is scheduled to be played over seven weekends from the weekend starting 10 September and culminating the weekend starting 22 October 2011. The weekend of the final was chosen so it falls on a long weekend caused by the New Zealand public holiday of Labour Day (Monday, 24 October 2011). The final is scheduled to be played in Auckland at Eden Park.
As of 19 February 2008, New Zealand's progress in preparing and implementing plans for the event received an A+ rating from the International Rugby Board's chairman and chief executive.
The Pools for the Rugby World Cup games are:
Pool A: New Zealand, France, Tonga, Americas 1, Asia 1
Pool B: Argentina, England, Scotland, Europe 1, Final Place Playoff
Pool C: Australia, Ireland, Italy, Europe 2, Americas 2
Pool D: South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Oceania 1, Africa 1
Following the pool matches the knockout rounds will be
Quarter Final 1: Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
Quarter Final 2: Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
Quarter Final 3: Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B
Quarter Final 4: Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
Semi-Final 1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
Semi-Final 2: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
Bronze Final: Loser SF1 v Loser SF2
Final: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
| Date | Teams | Pool | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri Sept 9 | New Zealand v Tonga | A | Eden Park | Auckland |
| Sat Sept 10 | Scotland v Play-off winner | B | Rugby Park Stadium | Invercargill |
| Sat Sept 10 | Fiji v Africa 1 | D | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua |
| Sat Sept 10 | France v Asia 1 | A | North Harbour Stadium | North Shore |
| Sat Sept 10 | Argentina v England | B | Stadium Christchurch | Christchurch |
| Sun Sept 11 | Australia v Italy | C | Stadium Christchurch | Christchurch |
| Sun Sept 11 | Ireland v Americas 2 | C | Stadium Taranaki | New Plymouth |
| Sun Sept 11 | South Africa v Wales | D | Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington |
| Wed Sept 14 | Oceania 1 v Africa 1 | D | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua |
| Wed Sept 14 | Tonga v Americas 1 | A | Northland Events Centre | Whangarei |
| Wed Sept 14 | Scotland v Europe 1 | B | Carisbrook | Dunedin |
| Thurs Sept15 | Europe 2 v Americas 2 | C | Stadium Taranaki | New Plymouth |
| Fri Sept 16 | New Zealand v Asia 1 | A | Waikato Stadium | Hamilton |
| Sat Sept 17 | Argentina v Play-off winner | B | Rugby Park Stadium | Invercargill |
| Sat Sept 17 | South Africa v Fiji | D | Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington |
| Sat Sept 17 | Australia v Ireland | C | Eden Park | Auckland |
| Sun Sept 18 | Wales v Oceania 1 | D | Waikato Stadium | Hamilton |
| Sun Sept 18 | England v Europe 1 | B | Stadium Christchurch | Christchurch |
| Sun Sept 18 | France v Americas 1 | A | McLean Park | Napier |
| Tues Sept 20 | Italy v Europe 2 | C | Trafalgar Park | Nelson |
| Wed Sept 21 | Tonga v Asia 1 | A | Northland Events Centre | Whangarei |
| Thurs Sept 22 | South Africa v Africa 1 | D | North Harbour Stadium | North Shore |
| Fri Sept 23 | Australia v Americas 2 | C | Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington |
| Sat Sept 24 | England v Play-off winner | B | Carisbrook | Dunedin |
| Sat Sept 24 | New Zealand v France | A | Eden Park | Auckland |
| Sun Sept 25 | Fiji v Oceania 1 | D | Eden Park | Auckland |
| Sun Sept 25 | Ireland v Europe 2 | C | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua |
| Sun Sept 25 | Argentina v Scotland | B | Stadium Christchurch | Christchurch |
| Mon Sept 26 | Wales v Africa 1 | D | Stadium Taranaki | New Plymouth |
| Tues Sept 27 | Americas 1 v Asia 1 | A | McLean Park | Napier |
| Tues Sept 27 | Italy v Americas 2 | C | Trafalgar Park | Nelson |
| Wed Sept 28 | Europe 1 v Play-off winner | B | Arena Manawatu | Palmerston North |
| Fri Sept 30 | South Africa v Oceania 1 | D | North Harbour Stadium | North Shore |
| Sat Oct 1 | Australia v Europe 2 | C | Stadium Christchurch | Christchurch |
| Sat Oct 1 | France v Tonga | A | Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington |
| Sat Oct 1 | England v Scotland | B | Eden Park | Auckland |
| Sun Oct 2 | Argentina v Europe 1 | B | Arena Manawatu | Palmerston North |
| Sun Oct 2 | New Zealand v Americas 1 | A | Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington |
| Sun Oct 2 | Wales v Fiji | D | Waikato Stadium | Hamilton |
| Sun Oct 2 | Ireland v Italy | C | Carisbrook | Dunedin |
| Sat Oct 8 | QF1: W Pool C v RU Pool D | Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington | |
| Sat Oct 8 | QF2: W Pool B v RU Pool A | Stadium Christchurch | Christchurch | |
| Sun Oct 9 | QF3: W Pool D v RU Pool C | Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington | |
| Sun Oct 9 | QF4: W Pool A v RU Pool B | Stadium Christchurch | Christchurch | |
| Sat Oct 15 | SF1: W QF1 v W QF2 | Eden Park | Auckland | |
| Sun Oct 16 | SF2: W QF3 v W QF4 | Eden Park | Auckland | |
| Fri Oct 21 | Bronze Final | Eden Park | Auckland | |
| Sun Oct 23 | Final | Eden Park | Auckland |
Rugby World Cup venues have now been decided. 13 different cities will host the 48 games. 34 of the games will be in the North Island and 14 in the South Island. Teams will be hosted in 23 different towns around New Zealand during the tournament - check out the Towns page for info.
The Rugby World Cup final, bronze final, and both semi final matches will be played in Auckland at an upgraded Eden Park.
Quarter finals will be held in Christchurch and Wellington.
At Eden Park, a new South Stand and temporary seating will achieve the required 60,000 capacity. It is anticipated that the redevelopment will be completed in early 2011 at a cost of approximately $240.5 million. Dunedin may also have a new stadium to replace Carisbrook. The Christchurch stadium is having major redevelopment work done. Whangarei may also have a new stadium.
The 13 stadiums where games will be held are listed below. Because stadiums will lose their corporate branding during the Rugby World Cup, the new name of the stadium during the Cup is in brackets! The number of World Cup games each stadium will host is also in brackets.
North Island Venues:
* Eden Park, Auckland (9 games)
* Westpac Stadium, Wellington (Stadium Wellington) (7 games)
* Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (3 games)
* North Harbour Stadium, Albany, Auckland (3 games)
* Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua (3 games)
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth (Stadium Taranaki)(3 games)
* Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North (2 games)
* McLean Park, Napier (2 games)
* Northland Events Centre, Whangarei (2 games)
South Island Venues:
* AMI Stadium, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch)(7 games)
* Carisbrook Stadium, Dunedin (or maybe a new stadium)(3 games)
* Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill (2 games)
* Trafalgar Park, Nelson (2 games)
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