2011 Rugby World Cup: The next world cup may seem a long way off, what with a potential Grand Slam still on the cards, but Irish fans intent on making the trip to New Zealand can start planning in earnest after the match schedule was announced earlier today.
Ireland should have a relatively straightforward start to their campaign, although given the performances against Georgia and Namibia in 2007 they will be taking nothing for granted, when they face one of the American qualifiers in New Plymouth on September 11th.
Declan Kidney’s side will stay on the North Island for the all-important meeting with Australia at Auckland’s Eden Park a week later (September 17th) and the match against as yet unknown European opposition (September 17th, Rotorua).
The side then moves to the South Island for their final Pool C match against Italy (October 2nd) in Dunedin’s famous ‘House of Pain’.
Thirteen venues have been chosen to host games throughout the tournament with Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to host five pool matches.
North Shore (Auckland), Hamilton, New Plymouth, Rotorua and Dunedin will host three games with two games to be played in Whangarei, Nelson, Palmerston North, Napier and Invercargill.
Wellington and Christchurch will also host two quarter-finals each. Last-eight matches involving teams from pools A and B will be played in Christchurch and those involving pools C and D will take place in Wellington.
The semi-finals, bronze medal match and final will also be played at Eden Park.
Full Schedule
September 9th- New Zealand v Tonga, Auckland (Pool A)
September 10th- Scotland v qualifier, Invercargill (Pool B)
September 10th- Fiji v Africa 1, Rotorua (Pool D)
September 10th- France v Asia 1, Albany (Pool A)
September 10th- Argentina v England, Christchurch (Pool B)
September 11th- Australia v Italy, Christchurch (Pool C)
September 11th- Irelandv Americas 2, New Plymouth (Pool C)
September 11th- South Africa v Wales, Wellington (Pool D)
September 14th- Oceania 1 v Africa 1, Rotorua (Pool D)
September 14th- Tonga v Americas 1, Whangarei (Pool A)
September 14th- Scotland v Europe 1, Dunedin (Pool B)
September 15th- Europe 2 v Americas 2, New Plymouth (Pool C)
September 16th- New Zealand v Asia 1, Hamilton (Pool A)
September 17th- Argentina v qualifier, Invercargill (Pool B)
September 17th- South Africa v Fiji, Wellington (Pool D)
September 17th- Australia v Ireland, Auckland (Pool C)
September 18th- Wales v Oceania 1, Hamilton (Pool D)
September 18th- England v Europe 1, Christchurch (Pool B)
September 18th- France v Americas 1, Napier (Pool A)
September 20th- Italy v Europe 2, Nelson (Pool C)
September 21st- Tonga v Asia 1, Whangarei (Pool A)
September 22nd- South Africa v Africa 1, Albany (Pool D)
September 23rd- Australia v Americas 2, Wellington (Pool C)
September 24th- England v qualifier, Dunedin (Pool B)
September 24th- New Zealand v France, Auckland (Pool A)
September 25th- Fiji v Oceania 1, Auckland (Pool D)
September 25th- Irelandv Europe 2, Rotorua (Pool C)
September 25th- Argentina v Scotland, Christchurch (Pool B)
September 26th- Wales v Africa 1, New Plymouth (Pool D)
September 27th- Americas 1 v Asia 1, Napier (Pool A)
September 27th- Italy v Americas 2, Nelson (Pool C)
September 28th- Europe 1 v qualifier, Palmerston North (Pool B)
September 30th- South Africa v Oceania 1, Albany (Pool D)
October 1st- Australia v Europe 2, Christchurch (Pool C)
October 1st- France v Tonga, Wellington (Pool A)
October 1st- England v Scotland, Auckland (Pool B)
October 2nd- Argentina v Europe 1, Palmerston North (Pool B)
October 2nd- New Zealand v Americas 1, Wellington (Pool A)
October 2nd- Wales v Fiji, Hamilton (Pool D)
October 2nd- Irelandv Italy, Dunedin (Pool C)
Quarter-finals:
October 8th- Winner Pool C v runner-up Pool D, Wellington
October 8th- Winner Pool B v runner-up Pool A, Christchurch
October 9th- Winner Pool D v runner-up Pool C, Wellington
October 9th- Winner Pool A v runner-up Pool B, Christchurch
Semi-finals:
October 15th- Winner quarter-final 1 v winner quarter-final 2, Auckland
October 16th- Winner quarter-final 3 v winner quarter-final 4, Auckland
Third-place playoff:
October 21st- Loser semi-final 1 v loser semi-final 2, Auckland
Final:
October 22nd- Winner semi-final 1 v Winner semi-final 2, Auckland
