"Rugby World Cup 2011" redirects here. For the video game based on the rugby event, see Rugby World Cup 2011 (video game).
See also: Rugby World Cup hosts
2011 Rugby World Cup
Tournament details
Host nation
New Zealand
Dates
9 September – 23 October
No. of nations
20 (91 qualifying)
Final positions
Champions
New Zealand (2nd title)
Runner-up
France
Third place
Australia
Tournament statistics
Matches played
48
Attendance
1,477,294 (30,777 per match)
Top scorer(s)
Morné Steyn (62)
Most tries
Chris Ashton
Vincent Clerc
(6 tries each)
← 2007
2015 →
The 2011 Rugby World Cup, was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005. The tournament was won by New Zealand, who defeated France 8–7 in the final.[1] The defending champions, South Africa, were eliminated by Australia 11–9 in the quarter-finals.[2] The result marked the third time that the tournament was won by the country that hosted the event (following New Zealand in 1987 and South Africa in 1995).
It was the largest sporting event ever held in New Zealand,[3] eclipsing the 1987 Rugby World Cup, 1990 Commonwealth Games, 1992 Cricket World Cup and the 2003 America's Cup.[4] Overseas visitors to New Zealand for the event totalled 133,000, more than the 95,000 that the organisers expected. However, there was a drop in non-event visitors, meaning the net increase in visitors over the previous year was less than 80,000.[5][6]
The games ran over six weeks, commencing on 9 September 2011 with the opening ceremony showcasing New Zealand's history and diverse cultures. The final was played at Eden Park in Auckland on 23 October 2011, a date chosen because it fell on a long weekend of New Zealand's Labour Day holiday.[7]
After speculation that the number of participating teams would be reduced to 16, the IRB announced on 30 November 2007 that the 2011 tournament would again feature 20 teams.[8] Twelve teams qualified as a result of finishing in the top three in each pool in the 2007 tournament. The remaining eight berths were determined by regional qualifying tournaments.[9] Of the 20 countries that competed in the previous World Cup in 2007, there was only one change – Russia replaced Portugal.
^"All Blacks survive scare to clinch Cup". rugbyworldcup.com. International Rugby Board. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
^"2011 Rugby World Cup Results". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
^"Christchurch loses all RWC games". The New Zealand Herald. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
^"Rugby World Cup 2011". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
^Dickison, Michael (23 November 2011). "Rugby World Cup visitor numbers put at 133,000". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
^Hembry, Owen (20 August 2011). "Here come the Cup fans". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
^"Final date for RWC 2011 revealed". allblacks.com. 24 July 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2007.
^"Twenty teams to compete at Rugby World 2011". rugbyworldcup.com. International Rugby Board. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
^"Qualifying changes for 2011 RWC". BBC. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
and 27 Related for: 2011 Rugby World Cup information
The 2011RugbyWorldCup, was the seventh RugbyWorldCup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby...
The RugbyWorldCup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognised...
The 2011RugbyWorldCup Final was a rugby union match between France and New Zealand, to determine the winner of the 2011RugbyWorldCup. The match took...
The 2007 RugbyWorldCup (French: Coupe du monde de rugby 2007) was the sixth RugbyWorldCup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition organised...
The 2011RugbyWorldCup was an international rugby union tournament played in New Zealand from 9 September to 23 October 2011. Each of the 20 competing...
2023 RugbyWorldCup (French: Coupe du monde de rugby 2023) was the tenth men's RugbyWorldCup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union...
The 1999 RugbyWorldCup (Welsh: Cwpan Rygbi'r Byd 1999), was the fourth RugbyWorldCup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship, the first...
2027 Men's RugbyWorldCup is scheduled to be the eleventh edition of the RugbyWorldCup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams...
The Rugby League WorldCup is an international rugby league tournament contested by the top national men's representative teams. The tournament is administered...
South Africa have played at 8 of the 10 RugbyWorldCup tournaments, having been unable to compete in the first two tournaments due to a sports boycott...
The 2003 RugbyWorldCup was the fifth RugbyWorldCup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games...
The 2023 RugbyWorldCup final was a rugby union match played on 28 October 2023 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France. It marked the culmination...
The knockout stage of the 2011RugbyWorldCup began on 8 October with a quarter-final between Ireland and Wales and concluded on 23 October with the final...
Women's Cricket WorldCup, the final of the 2021 Women's RugbyWorldCup and staged the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women's WorldCup. In 2011 it hosted...
New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, have played 56 matches so far in the nine RugbyWorldCup tournaments from 1987 to...
The 1991 RugbyWorldCup (French: Coupe du monde de rugby 1991) was the second edition of the RugbyWorldCup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland...
the RugbyWorldCups they've attended. They are also the second nation to win the WorldCup consecutively (2019 and 2023). The team made its WorldCup debut...
The 1987 RugbyWorldCup was the first RugbyWorldCup. It was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia – New Zealand hosted 21 matches (17 pool stage matches...
Pool A of the 2011RugbyWorldCup began on 9 September 2011 and was completed on 2 October 2011. The pool was composed of hosts New Zealand, the fourth-placed...
Global Information
New Zealand
France
Australia
Morné Steyn (62)