Our Teams
England (Pool B)
One of the powerhouses of international Rugby, England featured in the first ever test match played in 1871 against Scotland. England have reached the Rugby World Cup Final three times, twice finishing runner-up and winning the title in 2003. Their loyal supporters are guaranteed to add to the entertainment off the field.
Georgia (Pool B)
Georgia claimed the Europe 1 position for RWC 2011 after defeating Russia 36-8 in a European Nations Cup match in late March 2010. Competing in Pool B the team can now look forward to an opening match against Scotland in Dunedin on September 14 2011 before facing 2003 winners England, the Play-off Winner and Argentina. Although a long way from home, Georgian fans are famed for their passionate support so expect to see a great many red and white flags flying in 2011.
Ireland (Pool C)
Ireland regularly appears in the top five teams in the IRB World Rankings. The team represents the whole island of Ireland and have reached the quarter-finals in every Rugby World Cup Tournament except 1999 and 2007. The Emerald Isle will be singing “The Fields of Athenry” and bringing a real sense of celebration to the stands when they descend en masse to follow their team in their RWC 2011 quest.
Italy (Pool C)
Italy joined the international Rugby community in the 1920s. In 2000, Italy (known as the Azzurri) had competed in every Rugby World Cup Tournament, but is yet to make it past the pool phase. Expect the Italians to bring a little piece of home to New Zealand. Fans will be decking the streets in red, white and green to welcome the team.
Play-off Winner (Pool B)
The Play-off Winner will be decided in November 2010 when the four Final place Play-off qualifiers compete for the remaining place in Pool B. The Play-off Winner will be one of Uruguay, Tunisia, the runner-up of the Asia round, or a qualifier team from the Europe round.
Scotland (Pool B)
Scottish Rugby started back in 1871, beating England in their first ever international match. Since then, Scotland has consistently seen top-ten IRB rankings, participating in every Rugby World Cup Tournament and reaching the quarter-finals on every occasion. Scotland’s best showing was in 1991 when they reached the Bronze Final against New Zealand, finishing fourth. For RWC 2011, Scotland will compete against arch-rivals England in Pool B.