World Cup draw released
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World Cup draw released
March 12, 2009 - 1:29PM
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...447369067.html
The Wallabies will open their 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign against Italy in Christchurch, the home town of their New Zealand-born coach Robbie Deans.
The full schedule for the six-week tournament was released on Thursday, with Deans' eagerly-awaited homecoming set down for September 11, two days after the All Blacks kick off the seventh World Cup against Tonga at Auckland's Eden Park.
Australia's second pool C encounter is against Ireland on September 17 in Auckland.
The Wallabies then face qualifying teams from the Americas in Wellington on September 23 and Europe at Christchurch's AMI Stadium on October 1.
The two matches in Christchurch, where Deans is revered - not only for guiding the Crusaders to five Super rugby titles but also for his successful playing career with Canterbury - is further good news for the Wallabies after they were handed a dream Cup draw last December.
If results go according to seedings during the pool stages of the tournament, the third-ranked Wallabies cannot strike the defending champion Springboks or the top-ranked All Blacks until the final.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden unveiled the dates and venue allocations for the 20-team tournament on Thursday, with most interest focusing on the opening match and the spread of venues to be used for 40 pool games.
It was widely anticipated that New Zealand would play France in the tournament opener but match officials instead plumped for Tonga in a Friday-night encounter.
In all, 13 venues will be used.
Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have been allocated five pool matches each while Albany, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Rotorua and Dunedin will all host three games.
Whangarei, Nelson, Palmerston North, Napier and Invercargill will host two matches.
Tauranga, Queenstown and Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium were unsuccessful in securing pool fixtures.
Wellington and Christchurch will host two quarter-finals on October 8-9, while Eden Park is the venue for the semi-finals on October 15-16, the third-fourth playoff on October 21 and the October 23 final.
WHO IS GOING WHERE?
Whangarei: Tonga and still to qualify nations from Asia and South America.
North Shore: France, the Springboks and Asia, Africa and Oceania qualifiers.
Eden Park: All Blacks, Tonga, the Wallabies, Ireland, France, England, Scotland and some one from Oceania.
Hamilton: All Blacks, Wales, Fiji and qualifiers from Asia and Oceania.
Rotorua: Fiji and Ireland and Africa, Oceania and Europe qualifiers.
New Plymouth: Ireland and Wales, and North America and Africa qualifiers.
Napier: France, South America and Asia.
Palmerston North: Argentina and Europe qualifiers.
Wellington: All Blacks, Springboks, Wales, Fiji, Wallabies, Tonga and North and South America qualifiers.
Nelson: Italy and European and North American qualifiers.
Christchurch: Wallabies, Argentina, England, Italy, Scotland and European qualifiers
Dunedin: Scotland, England, Ireland, Italy and Europe qualifiers.
Invercargill: Scotland and Argentina.
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