2011 Rugby World Cup knockout stage explained

See main article: 2011 Rugby World Cup. The knockout stage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup began on 8 October with a quarter-final between Ireland and Wales and concluded on 23 October with the final at Eden Park in Auckland.

New Zealand were the first team to qualify for the knockout stage, when they beat France 37 - 17 in their penultimate Pool A game. New Zealand and France re-encountered in the final, that was won by the local team 8 - 7. This was a rematch of the 1987 final, also in Eden Park and also won by New Zealand. This way, New Zealand got their second title, while France their third final.

For the first time in World Cup history, three teams that finished second in their respective pools qualified for the semi-finals, while South Africa became the second defending champions not to reach the semi-finals after Australia in 1995.

Furthermore, the bottom half of the bracket was entirely composed of the 2012 Rugby Championship teams and the other half was composed of the last four Six Nations champions since the last World Cup.

Quarter-finals

Ireland vs Wales

FB 15 Rob Kearney RW 14 Tommy Bowe OC 13 Brian O'Driscoll (c) IC 12 LW 11 FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Seán O'Brien BF 6 RL 5 Paul O'Connell LL 4 Donncha O'Callaghan TP 3 Mike Ross HK 2 LP 1 Cian Healy Replacements: HK 16 Seán Cronin PR 17 Tom Court LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 FH 21 WG 22 Coach: Declan Kidney

FB 15 Leigh Halfpenny RW 14 George North OC 13 Jonathan Davies IC 12 Jamie Roberts LW 11 Shane Williams FH 10 SH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Taulupe Faletau OF 7 Sam Warburton (c) BF 6 Dan Lydiate RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones LL 4 TP 3 Adam Jones HK 2 Huw Bennett LP 1 Gethin Jenkins Replacements: HK 16 Lloyd Burns PR 17 Paul James LK 18 FL 19 Ryan Jones SH 20 Lloyd Williams FH 21 CE 22 Scott Williams Coach: Warren Gatland

Man of the Match: Mike Phillips (Wales) Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England) Romain Poite (France) Television match official: Giulio de Santis (Italy)

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England vs France

FB 15 Ben Foden RW 14 Chris Ashton OC 13 Manu Tuilagi IC 12 LW 11 Mark Cueto FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Nick Easter OF 7 Lewis Moody (c) BF 6 RL 5 Tom Palmer LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 WG 22 Coach: Martin Johnson

FB 15 Maxime Médard RW 14 Vincent Clerc OC 13 IC 12 LW 11 Alexis Palisson FH 10 Morgan Parra SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Julien Bonnaire 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 N8 19 FH 20 CE 21 FB 22 Coach: Marc Lièvremont

Man of the Match: Imanol Harinordoquy (France) Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland) George Clancy (Ireland) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

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South Africa vs Australia

FB 15 Patrick Lambie RW 14 JP Pietersen OC 13 Jaque Fourie IC 12 LW 11 FH 10 Morné Steyn SH 9 Fourie du Preez N8 8 BF 7 OF 6 RL 5 Victor Matfield LL 4 Danie Rossouw TP 3 Jannie du Plessis HK 2 John Smit (c) LP 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 CJ van der Linde FL 18 FL 19 SH 20 FH 21 Butch James CT 22 Gio Aplon Coach: Peter de Villiers

FB 15 RW 14 James O'Connor OC 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper IC 12 LW 11 Digby Ioane FH 10 Quade Cooper SH 9 Will Genia N8 8 OF 7 David Pocock BF 6 Rocky Elsom RL 5 James Horwill (c) LL 4 TP 3 Ben Alexander HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 Luke Burgess FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Robbie Deans

Man of the Match: David Pocock (Australia) Touch judges: Dave Pearson (England) Romain Poite (France) Television match official: Giulio de Santis (Italy)

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New Zealand vs Argentina

FB 15 RW 14 Cory Jane OC 13 Conrad Smith IC 12 LW 11 Sonny Bill Williams FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Kieran Read 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 N8 19 SH 20 FH 21 FB 22 Coach: Graham Henry

FB 15 RW 14 Gonzalo Camacho OC 13 Marcelo Bosch IC 12 Felipe Contepomi (c) LW 11 FH 10 Santiago Fernández SH 9 N8 8 Leonardo Senatore OF 7 BF 6 Julio Farías Cabello RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 FL 19 SH 20 FB 21 WG 22 Coach: Santiago Phelan

Man of the Match: Piri Weepu (New Zealand) Touch judges: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) George Clancy (Ireland) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Notes

• This was New Zealand fullback Mils Muliaina's 100th test, the second New Zealand player to have reached this milestone.^[1]

Semi-finals

Wales vs France

FB 15 Leigh Halfpenny RW 14 George North OC 13 Jonathan Davies IC 12 Jamie Roberts LW 11 Shane Williams FH 10 SH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Taulupe Faletau OF 7 Sam Warburton (c) BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Luke Charteris TP 3 HK 2 Huw Bennett LP 1 Gethin Jenkins Replacements: HK 16 Lloyd Burns PR 17 LK 18 FK 19 SH 20 Lloyd Williams FH 21 CE 22 Scott Williams Coach: Warren Gatland

FB 15 Maxime Médard RW 14 Vincent Clerc OC 13 Aurélien Rougerie IC 12 Maxime Mermoz LW 11 Alexis Palisson FH 10 Morgan Parra SH 9 Dimitri Yachvili N8 8 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 FH 20 François Trinh-Duc FH 21 Jean-Marc Doussain FB 22 Cédric Heymans Coach: Marc Lièvremont

Man of the Match: Julien Bonnaire (France) Touch judges: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) Wayne Barnes (England) Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Notes

• The Welsh captain was sent off after committing a tip-tackle, releasing the opponent past the horizontal off the ground in the 18th minute.

Australia vs New Zealand

FB 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper RW 14 James O'Connor OC 13 IC 12 LW 11 Lote Tuqiri FH 10 Quade Cooper SH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 OF 7 BF 6 Rocky Elsom RL 5 Nathan Sharpe LL 4 TP 3 Ben Alexander HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 Luke Burgess FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Robbie Deans

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

Man of the Match: Cory Jane (New Zealand) Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales) Romain Poite (France) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Bronze final

Wales vs Australia

FB 15 Leigh Halfpenny RW 14 OC 13 IC 12 Jamie Roberts LW 11 Shane Williams FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Ryan Jones OF 7 Taulupe Faletau BF 6 RL 5 Bradley Davies LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Gethin Jenkins (c) Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Warren Gatland

FB 15 RW 14 James O'Connor OC 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper IC 12 Berrick Barnes LW 11 Digby Ioane FH 10 SH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 Ben McCalman OF 7 BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Bill Young Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 LK 18 N8 19 SH 20 CE 21 CE 22 Coach: Robbie Deans

Notes

• This was Australian lock Nathan Sharpe's 100th test, the fifth Australian to reach the milestone.

Final

France vs New Zealand

See main article: article and 2011 Rugby World Cup final.

FB 15 RW 14 OC 13 Aurélien Rougerie IC 12 Maxime Mermoz LW 11 Alexis Palisson FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Imanol Harinordoquy OF 7 Julien Bonnaire 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 Fulgence Ouedraogo FH 20 FH 21 FB 22 Coach: Marc Lièvremont

FB 15 Israel Dagg RW 14 Cory Jane OC 13 Conrad Smith IC 12 LW 11 Richard Kahui FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Kieran Read OF 7 Richie McCaw (c) BF 6 Jerome Kaino RL 5 LL 4 Brad Thorn TP 3 Owen Franks HK 2 LP 1 Tony Woodcock Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 Ben Franks LK 18 FL 19 Adam Thomson SH 20 FH 21 CE 22 Coach: Graham Henry

Man of the Match: Thierry Dusautoir (France) Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland)^[2] Nigel Owens (Wales) Television match official: Giulio de Santis (Italy)

Notes and References

1. News: Harper . Paul . All Blacks: Muliaina's celebration cut out . New Zealand Herald . 10 October 2011 . 22 October 2011 .
2. Web site: 23 October 2011 - 21:00, Eden Park, Auckland . International Rugby Board . 23 October 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111022210418/http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/matches/match%3D11235/index.html . 22 October 2011 .