2007 Rugby World Cup Pool C Explained

Pool C of the 2007 Rugby World Cup began on 8 September and concluded on 29 September 2007. The pool was composed of Italy, New Zealand, Romania and Scotland and World Cup debutants Portugal.

Standings

New Zealand were assured of first place in the pool after only three rounds of matches, having secured the maximum of five points from each of their matches. Over their four matches, the All Blacks established a new points record for the pool stage with 309 points.

Italy were unable to carry their strong Six Nations form into the World Cup, and were knocked out by a narrow margin. Scotland qualified for the quarter-finals as pool runners-up.

Matches

All times local (UTC+2)

New Zealand vs Italy

FB 15 Leon MacDonald RW 14 Doug Howlett OC 13 IC 12 Luke McAlister LW 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Rodney So'oialo OF 7 Richie McCaw (c) BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Chris Jack TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 FL 18 N8 19 SH 20 CE 21 CE 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 RW 14 Kaine Robertson OC 13 Andrea Masi IC 12 Mirco Bergamasco LW 11 Marko Stanojevic FH 10 Roland de Marigny SH 9 N8 8 Sergio Parisse OF 7 Mauro Bergamasco BF 6 RL 5 Marco Bortolami (c) LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 WG 21 Gonzalo Canale FB 22 Coach: Pierre Berbizier

Man of the Match: Richie McCaw (New Zealand) Touch judges: Mark Lawrence (South Africa) Christophe Berdos (France) Television match official: Craig Joubert (South Africa) Fourth official: Nigel Owens (Wales) Fifth official: Franck Maciello (France)

Note: Doug Howlett's three tries in this match brought him level with Christian Cullen as New Zealand's all-time highest try scorer, with 46.

Scotland vs Portugal

FB 15 Rory Lamont RW 14 Sean Lamont OC 13 IC 12 Rob Dewey LW 11 Simon Webster FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Simon Taylor OF 7 Ally Hogg BF 6 Jason White (c) RL 5 LL 4 Nathan Hines TP 3 Euan Murray HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 FH 21 FB 22 Coach: Frank Hadden

FB 15 Pedro Leal RW 14 David Mateus OC 13 IC 12 Diogo Mateus LW 11 Pedro Carvalho FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Vasco Uva (c) OF 7 BF 6 Juan Severino Somoza RL 5 LL 4 Gonçalo Uva TP 3 Ruben Spachuck HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: PR 16 HK 17 FL 18 FL 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Tomaz Morais

Man of the Match: Vasco Uva (Portugal) Touch judges: Hugh Watkins (Wales) Marius Jonker (South Africa) Television match official: Dave Pearson (England) Fourth official: Alan Lewis (Ireland) Fifth official: Cyril Lafon (France)

Italy vs Romania

FB 15 RW 14 Kaine Robertson OC 13 Gonzalo Canale IC 12 Mirco Bergamasco LW 11 FH 10 Ramiro Pez SH 9 N8 8 Sergio Parisse OF 7 Mauro Bergamasco BF 6 RL 5 Marco Bortolami (c) LL 4 TP 3 Martin Castrogiovanni HK 2 Carlo Festuccia LP 1 Andrea Lo Cicero Replacements: HK 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini PR 17 Matías Agüero LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 WG 21 FH 22 Roland de Marigny Coach: Pierre Berbizier

FB 15 RW 14 Cătălin Fercu OC 13 Csaba Gál IC 12 Romeo Gontineac LW 11 Gabriel Brezoianu FH 10 Ionuț Dimofte SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 BF 6 Florin Corodeanu RL 5 Cristian Petre LL 4 Sorin Socol (c) TP 3 Bogdan Bălan HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 CE 21 Ionuț Tofan CE 22 Coach: Daniel Santamans

Man of the Match: Ramiro Pez (Italy) Touch judges: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand) Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) Television match official: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand) Fourth official: Alain Rolland (Ireland) Fifth official: Franck Maciello (France)

New Zealand vs Portugal

FB 15 RW 14 Isaia Toeava OC 13 Conrad Smith IC 12 Aaron Mauger LW 11 Joe Rokocoko FH 10 Nick Evans SH 9 N8 8 Sione Lauaki OF 7 Chris Masoe BF 6 Jerry Collins (c) RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Neemia Tialata Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 N8 19 HK 20 SH 21 FB 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 Pedro Leal RW 14 António Aguilar OC 13 Miguel Portela IC 12 Diogo Mateus LW 11 Pedro Carvalho FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Vasco Uva (c) OF 7 Paulo Murinello BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 Ruben Spachuck HK 2 João Correia LP 1 Replacements: PR 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 FL 20 SH 21 FH 22 Coach: Tomaz Morais

Man of the Match: Jerry Collins (New Zealand) Touch judges: Hugh Watkins (Wales) Marius Jonker (South Africa) Television match official: Dave Pearson (England) Fourth official: Paul Honiss (New Zealand) Fifth official: Laurent Valin (France)

Scotland vs Romania

FB 15 Rory Lamont RW 14 Sean Lamont OC 13 Simon Webster IC 12 LW 11 Chris Paterson FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Simon Taylor OF 7 BF 6 Jason White (c) RL 5 Jim Hamilton LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 FB 21 WG 22 Coach: Frank Hadden

FB 15 Iulian Dumitraș RW 14 Cătălin Fercu OC 13 Csaba Gál IC 12 LW 11 Gabriel Brezoianu FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Ovidiu Tonița OF 7 BF 6 RL 5 Cristian Petre LL 4 Sorin Socol (c) TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Petrișor Toderașc Replacements: PR 16 HK 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 CE 21 FB 22 Coach: Daniel Santamans

Man of the Match: Ally Hogg (Scotland) Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa) Christophe Berdos (France) Television match official: Mark Lawrence (South Africa) Fourth official: Wayne Barnes (England) Fifth official: Peter Allan (Scotland)

Note: With an attendance of 31,222, Scotland vs Romania was the lowest-attended match in Pool C, despite Scotland playing at home.

Italy vs Portugal

FB 15 David Bortolussi RW 14 Pablo Canavosio OC 13 Gonzalo Canale IC 12 Andrea Masi LW 11 Matteo Pratichetti FH 10 Roland de Marigny SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Mauro Bergamasco BF 6 Sergio Parisse RL 5 Marco Bortolami (c) LL 4 Carlo Del Fava TP 3 HK 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 Fabio Ongaro PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 Valerio Bernabò FL 20 SH 21 WG 22 Ezio Galon Coach: Pierre Berbizier

FB 15 Pedro Cabral RW 14 OC 13 Federico Sousa IC 12 LW 11 António Aguilar FH 10 Duarte Cardoso Pinto SH 9 N8 8 Vasco Uva (c) OF 7 BF 6 Tiago Girão RL 5 David Penalva LL 4 Gonçalo Uva TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: PR 16 PR 17 PR 18 FL 19 SH 20 CE 21 WG 22 Gonçalo Foro Coach: Tomaz Morais

Man of the Match: José Pinto (Portugal) Touch judges: Federico Cuesta (Argentina) Malcolm Changleng (Scotland) Television match official: Paul Marks (Australia) Fourth official: Chris White (England) Fifth official: Eric Molier (France)

Scotland vs New Zealand

FB 15 Hugo Southwell RW 14 Nikki Walker OC 13 Marcus Di Rollo IC 12 LW 11 Simon Webster FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 David Callam OF 7 John Barclay BF 6 Kelly Brown RL 5 Scott Murray (c) LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 Ally Hogg SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Frank Hadden

FB 15 RW 14 Doug Howlett OC 13 IC 12 Luke McAlister LW 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu FH 10 Dan Carter SH 9 N8 8 Rodney So'oialo OF 7 Richie McCaw (c) BF 6 Chris Masoe RL 5 LL 4 Reuben Thorne TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Tony Woodcock Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Graham Henry

Man of the Match: Chris Masoe (New Zealand) Touch judges: Dave Pearson (England) Paul Marks (Australia) Television match official: Hugh Watkins (Wales) Fourth official: Chris White (England) Fifth official: Peter Allan (Scotland)

Note: Doug Howlett's two tries in this match brought his total in internationals to 48, a new try-scoring record for New Zealand.

Romania vs Portugal

FB 15 Iulian Dumitraș RW 14 Cătălin Nicolae OC 13 Ionuț Dimofte IC 12 Romeo Gontineac LW 11 Cătălin Fercu FH 10 Dănuț Dumbravă SH 9 N8 8 Ovidiu Tonița (c) OF 7 Florin Corodeanu BF 6 RL 5 Cristian Petre LL 4 Cosmin Rațiu TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 LK 19 SH 20 FB 21 Florin Vlaicu WG 22 Gabriel Brezoianu Coach: Daniel Santamans

FB 15 Pedro Leal RW 14 António Aguilar OC 13 Miguel Portela IC 12 Federico Sousa LW 11 Pedro Carvalho FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Tiago Girão OF 7 BF 6 Diogo Coutinho RL 5 LL 4 Gonçalo Uva TP 3 HK 2 Joaquim Ferreira (c) LP 1 Rui Cordeiro Replacements: PR 16 PR 17 PR 18 FL 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Diogo Gama Coach: Tomaz Morais

Man of the Match: Diogo Coutinho (Portugal) Touch judges: Carlo Damasco (Italy) Simon McDowell (Ireland) Television match official: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand) Fourth official: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) Fifth official: Jean-Luc Rebollal (France)

New Zealand vs Romania

FB 15 Nick Evans RW 14 Joe Rokocoko OC 13 Isaia Toeava IC 12 Aaron Mauger LW 11 FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Sione Lauaki OF 7 BF 6 Jerry Collins (c) RL 5 LL 4 Reuben Thorne TP 3 Greg Somerville HK 2 LP 1 Neemia Tialata Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 Tony Woodcock LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 WG 21 CE 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 RW 14 Ștefan Ciuntu OC 13 Csaba Gál IC 12 LW 11 Gabriel Brezoianu FH 10 Ionuț Dimofte SH 9 N8 8 Ovidiu Tonița OF 7 BF 6 RL 5 Cristian Petre LL 4 Sorin Socol (c) TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 FB 21 CE 22 Coach: Daniel Santamans

Man of the Match: Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand) Touch judges: Federico Cuesta (Argentina) Malcolm Changleng (Scotland) Television match official: Paul Marks (Australia) Fourth official: Romain Poite (France) Fifth official: Jean-Luc Rebollal (France)

Scotland vs Italy

FB 15 RW 14 Sean Lamont OC 13 Simon Webster IC 12 LW 11 Chris Paterson FH 10 Dan Parks SH 9 N8 8 Simon Taylor OF 7 BF 6 Jason White (c) RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 Euan Murray HK 2 Ross Ford LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 Scott Lawson PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 CE 21 FB 22 Coach: Frank Hadden

FB 15 David Bortolussi RW 14 Kaine Robertson OC 13 Gonzalo Canale IC 12 Mirco Bergamasco LW 11 FH 10 Ramiro Pez SH 9 Alessandro Troncon (c) N8 8 Sergio Parisse OF 7 BF 6 Josh Sole RL 5 Carlo Del Fava LL 4 Santiago Dellapè TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 Valerio Bernabò HK 19 Leonardo Ghiraldini SH 20 Paul Griffen FH 21 Roland de Marigny WG 22 Coach: Pierre Berbizier

Man of the Match: Dan Parks (Scotland) Touch judges: Hugh Watkins (Wales) Wayne Barnes (England) Television match official: Dave Pearson (England) Fourth official: Cyril Lafon (France) Fifth official: Laurent Valin (France)

External links

• Pool C at rugbyworldcup.com