2011 Rugby World Cup Pool A Explained

Pool A of the 2011 Rugby World Cup began on 9 September 2011 and was completed on 2 October 2011. The pool was composed of hosts New Zealand, the fourth-placed team from 2007, France; as well as Canada, Japan and Tonga. One of the biggest shocks in the history of the tournament came when Tonga beat France by 19 points to 14.^[1] On 3 October 2011, it was announced that New Zealand winger Richard Kahui had been voted the Player of Pool A.^[2]

Matches

All times are local New Zealand time (UTC+12 until 24 September, UTC+13 from 25 September^[3])

New Zealand vs Tonga

FB 15 Israel Dagg RW 14 Richard Kahui OC 13 Ma'a Nonu IC 12 Sonny Bill Williams LW 11 FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Richie McCaw (c) BF 6 Jerome Kaino RL 5 Ali Williams LL 4 TP 3 Owen Franks HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 LK 19 SH 20 FH 21 WG 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 Vunga Lilo RW 14 Viliame Iongi OC 13 IC 12 LW 11 Siale Piutau FH 10 Kurt Morath SH 9 Taniela Moa N8 8 Viliami Maʻafu OF 7 Finau Maka (c) BF 6 Sione Kalamafoni RL 5 Joe Tuineau LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 N8 20 SH 21 CE 22 Coach: Isitolo Maka

Man of the Match: Richard Kahui (New Zealand) Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa) Stuart Terheege (England) Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

France vs Japan

FB 15 Cédric Heymans RW 14 Vincent Clerc OC 13 Aurélien Rougerie IC 12 LW 11 Maxime Médard FH 10 SH 9 Dimitri Yachvili N8 8 Raphael Lakafia OF 7 BF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c) RL 5 Lionel Nallet LL 4 TP 3 Nicolas Mas HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Marc Lièvremont

FB 15 RW 14 Kosuke Endo OC 13 IC 12 Ryan Nicholas LW 11 Hirotoki Onozawa FH 10 James Arlidge SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Michael Leitch BF 6 Takashi Kikutani (c) RL 5 Toshizumi Kitagawa LL 4 Luke Thompson TP 3 HK 2 Shota Horie LP 1 Hisateru Hirashima Replacements: HK 16 Yusuke Aoki PR 17 LK 18 Hitoshi Ono N8 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: John Kirwan

Man of the Match: James Arlidge (Japan) Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland) Stuart Terheege (England) Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Tonga vs Canada

FB 15 Kurt Morath RW 14 Fetuʻu Vainikolo OC 13 Siale Piutau IC 12 Alipate Fatafehi LW 11 FH 10 Taniela Moa SH 9 Tomasi Palu N8 8 OF 7 Sione Vaiomoʻunga BF 6 Finau Maka (c) RL 5 Tukulua Lokotui LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 N8 19 FL 20 FB 21 Viliame Iongi WG 22 Coach: Isitolo Maka

FB 15 James Pritchard RW 14 Ciaran Hearn OC 13 D. T. H. van der Merwe IC 12 LW 11 Phil Mackenzie FH 10 Ander Monro SH 9 Ed Fairhurst N8 8 Aaron Carpenter OF 7 BF 6 Adam Kleeberger RL 5 Jamie Cudmore LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 Pat Riordan (c) LP 1 Hubert Buydens Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 CE 20 SH 21 Sean White FH 22 Nathan Hirayama Coach: Kieran Crowley

Man of the Match: Adam Kleeberger (Canada) Touch judges: Steve Walsh (Australia) Stuart Terheege (England) Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

New Zealand vs Japan

FB 15 RW 14 OC 13 Conrad Smith IC 12 Ma'a Nonu LW 11 Richard Kahui FH 10 Colin Slade SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 BF 6 Jerome Kaino RL 5 Sam Whitelock LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 Keven Mealamu (c) LP 1 Tony Woodcock Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 LK 19 SH 20 SH 21 CE 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 RW 14 Takehisa Usuzuki OC 13 IC 12 LW 11 Hirotoki Onozawa FH 10 Murray Williams SH 9 Atsushi Hiwasa N8 8 Takashi Kikutani (c) OF 7 BF 6 Itaru Taniguchi RL 5 LL 4 Hitoshi Ono TP 3 Nozomu Fujita HK 2 LP 1 Naoki Kawamata Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 Kensuke Hatakeyama LK 18 FL 19 Sione Vatuvei SH 20 FB 21 CE 22 Coach: John Kirwan

Man of the Match: Ma'a Nonu (New Zealand) Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland) Jérôme Garcès (France) Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

France vs Canada

FB 15 Damien Traille RW 14 Vincent Clerc OC 13 David Marty IC 12 Maxime Mermoz LW 11 Aurélien Rougerie (c) FH 10 SH 9 Morgan Parra N8 8 Louis Picamoles OF 7 Julien Bonnaire BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Pascal Papé TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 CE 21 Fabrice Estebanez WG 22 Coach: Marc Lièvremont

FB 15 James Pritchard RW 14 Ciaran Hearn OC 13 IC 12 Ryan Smith LW 11 Phil Mackenzie FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Aaron Carpenter OF 7 BF 6 Adam Kleeberger RL 5 LL 4 Jebb Sinclair TP 3 HK 2 Pat Riordan (c) LP 1 Hubert Buydens Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Kieran Crowley

Man of the Match: Louis Picamoles (France) Touch judges: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) Vinny Munro (New Zealand) Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)

Tonga vs Japan

FB 15 Vunga Lilo RW 14 Fetuʻu Vainikolo OC 13 Siale Piutau IC 12 Alipate Fatafehi LW 11 FH 10 Kurt Morath SH 9 N8 8 Viliami Maʻafu OF 7 BF 6 Sione Kalamafoni RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 Aleki Lutui (c) LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 N8 20 SH 21 CE 22 Coach: Isitolo Maka

FB 15 Shaun Webb RW 14 Kosuke Endo OC 13 Alisi Tupuailei IC 12 Ryan Nicholas LW 11 Hirotoki Onozawa FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Takashi Kikutani (c) OF 7 Michael Leitch BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Luke Thompson TP 3 HK 2 Shota Horie LP 1 Hisateru Hirashima Replacements: HK 16 Yusuke Aoki PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 SH 20 WG 21 Takehisa Usuzuki FH 22 Murray Williams Coach: John Kirwan

Man of the Match: Michael Leitch (Japan) Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland) Stuart Terheege (England) Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

New Zealand vs France

FB 15 Israel Dagg RW 14 OC 13 Conrad Smith IC 12 Ma'a Nonu LW 11 FH 10 Dan Carter SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Richie McCaw (c) BF 6 Jerome Kaino RL 5 LL 4 Brad Thorn TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Tony Woodcock Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 LK 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 RW 14 Vincent Clerc OC 13 IC 12 Maxime Mermoz LW 11 Maxime Médard FH 10 SH 9 Dimitri Yachvili N8 8 OF 7 BF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c) RL 5 Lionel Nallet LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 FH 20 CE 21 FB 22 Coach: Marc Lièvremont

Man of the Match: Israel Dagg (New Zealand) Touch judges: George Clancy (Ireland) Carlo Damasco (Italy) Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

Canada vs Japan

FB 15 RW 14 Matt Evans OC 13 D. T. H. van der Merwe IC 12 Ryan Smith LW 11 Phil Mackenzie FH 10 Ander Monro SH 9 N8 8 Aaron Carpenter OF 7 BF 6 Adam Kleeberger RL 5 LL 4 Jebb Sinclair TP 3 HK 2 Pat Riordan (c) LP 1 Hubert Buydens Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 FH 21 Nathan Hirayama CE 22 Coach: Kieran Crowley

FB 15 RW 14 Kosuke Endo OC 13 IC 12 Ryan Nicholas LW 11 Hirotoki Onozawa FH 10 James Arlidge SH 9 N8 8 Takashi Kikutani (c) OF 7 Michael Leitch BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Luke Thompson TP 3 HK 2 Shota Horie LP 1 Hisateru Hirashima Replacements: HK 16 Yusuke Aoki PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: John Kirwan

Man of the Match: Sione Vatuvei (Japan) Touch judges: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) Vinny Munro (New Zealand) Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)

France vs Tonga

FB 15 Maxime Médard RW 14 Vincent Clerc OC 13 IC 12 Maxime Mermoz LW 11 FH 10 SH 9 Dimitri Yachvili N8 8 OF 7 Julien Bonnaire BF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c) RL 5 Romain Millo-Chluski LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 FL 19 FH 20 CE 21 FB 22 Coach: Marc Lièvremont

FB 15 Vunga Lilo RW 14 Viliame Iongi OC 13 Siale Piutau IC 12 LW 11 FH 10 Kurt Morath SH 9 Taniela Moa N8 8 Viliami Maʻafu OF 7 Finau Maka (c) BF 6 Sione Kalamafoni RL 5 LL 4 Tukulua Lokotui TP 3 HK 2 Aleki Lutui LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 Ephraim Taukafa PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 N8 20 SH 21 CE 22 Coach: Isitolo Maka

New Zealand vs Canada

FB 15 RW 14 OC 13 Conrad Smith IC 12 Sonny Bill Williams LW 11 Zac Guildford FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 BF 6 Jerome Kaino RL 5 Ali Williams LL 4 Sam Whitelock TP 3 HK 2 Andrew Hore (c) LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 LK 19 SH 20 SH 21 FB 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 RW 14 Conor Trainor OC 13 IC 12 Ryan Smith LW 11 Phil Mackenzie FH 10 Ander Monro SH 9 N8 8 Aaron Carpenter OF 7 BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Jebb Sinclair TP 3 HK 2 Pat Riordan (c) LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 FH 22 Coach: Kieran Crowley

Man of the Match: Jerome Kaino (New Zealand) Touch judges: Steve Walsh (Australia) Carlo Damasco (Italy) Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)

External links

• Pool A at rugbyworldcup.com

Notes and References

1. News: James . Standley . Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool A: France 14-19 Tonga . BBC Sport . 2 October 2011 .
2. Web site: Rugby World Cup 2011 Player of Pool B Juan Figallo . 3 October 2011 . Rugby World Cup 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111004233403/http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/newsid=2057025.html . 4 October 2011 . dead .
3. The change in time zone is due to the start of daylight saving time in New Zealand, at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, 25 September