2019 Rugby World Cup knockout stage explained

See main article: 2019 Rugby World Cup. The knockout stage of the 2019 Rugby World Cup began on 19 October and concluded on 2 November with the final at the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan.

Qualified teams

England became the first team to qualify for the knock-out stage of the World Cup, with a game in hand, after winning their opening three games of the pool stage.^[1] France became the second team to qualify for the last eight to complete the two teams that advanced out of Pool C.^[2] South Africa secured their spot in the quarter-finals after their final pool match victory over Canada. After the match cancellations, New Zealand confirmed their place in the quarter-finals as pool winners. Wales confirmed their place in the quarter-finals with a game in hand after their win over Fiji; that result also confirmed Australia's advancement to the knock-out stage. Ireland secured their progression to the quarter-finals following their victory over Samoa in their final match. In the last pool stage match, home team Japan secured their top place in Pool A by beating Scotland and advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time in World Cup history.

Quarter-finals

England vs Australia

FB 15 Elliot Daly RW 14 Anthony Watson OC 13 IC 12 LW 11 Jonny May FH 10 Owen Farrell (c) SH 9 N8 8 Billy Vunipola OF 7 BF 6 Tom Curry RL 5 LL 4 Maro Itoje TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 FH 22 CE 23 Coach: Eddie Jones

FB 15 Kurtley Beale RW 14 Reece Hodge OC 13 IC 12 Samu Kerevi LW 11 Marika Koroibete FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Michael Hooper (c) BF 6 David Pocock RL 5 LL 4 Izack Rodda TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 FH 22 CE 23 Coach: Michael Cheika

Player of the Match: Tom Curry (England) Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France) Mathieu Raynal (France) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Notes:

• Jonny May (England) earned his 50th test cap.
• This was Australia's largest Rugby World Cup defeat, surpassing the 17-point loss against New Zealand in the 2015 final, as well as the most points they had conceded in a World Cup match, and the highest scoring match between these teams in a World Cup.

New Zealand vs Ireland

FB 15 Beauden Barrett RW 14 OC 13 IC 12 Anton Lienert-Brown LW 11 George Bridge FH 10 Richie Mo'unga SH 9 N8 8 Kieran Read (c) OF 7 BF 6 Ardie Savea RL 5 Sam Whitelock LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 CE 22 FB 23 Coach: Steve Hansen

FB 15 RW 14 Keith Earls OC 13 IC 12 LW 11 Jacob Stockdale FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 CJ Stander OF 7 Josh van der Flier BF 6 RL 5 James Ryan LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 Rory Best (c) LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 FH 22 FB 23 Coach: Joe Schmidt

Player of the Match: Beauden Barrett (New Zealand) Assistant referees: Pascal Gaüzère (France) Angus Gardner (Australia) Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

Notes:

• This was Ireland's largest defeat in a World Cup match surpassing their 43–19 defeat to New Zealand in 1995.

Wales vs France

FB 15 Liam Williams RW 14 George North OC 13 Owen Watkin IC 12 Hadleigh Parkes LW 11 Josh Adams FH 10 Dan Biggar SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Justin Tipuric BF 6 Aaron Wainwright RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c) LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 N8 20 SH 21 FH 22 Rhys Patchell FB 23 Leigh Halfpenny Coach: Warren Gatland

FB 15 RW 14 Damian Penaud OC 13 Virimi Vakatawa IC 12 Gaël Fickou LW 11 Yoann Huget FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 Charles Ollivon BF 6 Wenceslas Lauret RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 Guilhem Guirado (c) LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 N8 20 SH 21 FH 22 WG 23 Coach: Jacques Brunel

Player of the Match: Aaron Wainwright (Wales) Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia) Paul Williams (New Zealand) Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Notes:

• Jonathan Davies was due to start in this game, but withdrew ahead of kick-off due to injury. Owen Watkin replaced Davies in the starting XV with Leigh Halfpenny taking Watkin's place on the bench.

Japan vs South Africa

FB 15 RW 14 Kotaro Matsushima OC 13 Timothy Lafaele IC 12 Ryoto Nakamura LW 11 Kenki Fukuoka FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 BF 6 Michael Leitch (c) RL 5 James Moore LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 N8 20 SH 21 FH 22 WG 23 Coach: Jamie Joseph

FB 15 Willie le Roux RW 14 OC 13 Lukhanyo Am IC 12 Damian de Allende LW 11 Makazole Mapimpi FH 10 Handré Pollard SH 9 N8 8 BF 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit OF 6 Siya Kolisi (c) RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 LK 20 FL 21 SH 22 CE 23 Coach: Rassie Erasmus

Player of the Match: Faf de Klerk (South Africa) Assistant referees: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) Luke Pearce (England) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England)

Semi-finals

England vs New Zealand

FB 15 Elliot Daly RW 14 Anthony Watson OC 13 IC 12 Owen Farrell (c) LW 11 FH 10 George Ford SH 9 N8 8 Billy Vunipola OF 7 BF 6 Tom Curry RL 5 LL 4 Maro Itoje TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 CE 22 CE 23 Coach: Eddie Jones

FB 15 Beauden Barrett RW 14 Sevu Reece OC 13 IC 12 Anton Lienert-Brown LW 11 FH 10 Richie Mo'unga SH 9 N8 8 Kieran Read (c) OF 7 Ardie Savea BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Brodie Retallick TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 CE 22 FB 23 Coach: Steve Hansen

Player of the Match: Maro Itoje (England) Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France) Pascal Gaüzère (France) Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Notes:

• Billy Vunipola (England) and Codie Taylor (New Zealand) earned their 50th test caps.
• This was New Zealand's first Rugby World Cup loss since losing to France 20–18 in the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final.^[3]
• This was England's first win over New Zealand in a Rugby World Cup match, their first win since defeating them 38–21 in 2012, and their first win away from Twickenham since a 15−13 win in Wellington in 2003.
• New Zealand failed to score in the first half of a World Cup match for the first time since their 16–6 defeat to Australia in the 1991 World Cup semi-final, and for the first time in any match since England beat them 38–21 in December 2012.
• Measured by points deficit, this result equaled New Zealand's biggest ever World Cup defeat, matching the 12-point losses to France in the 1999 World Cup semi-final (43–31) and to Australia in the 2003 World Cup semi-final (22–10).
• This victory meant England climbed to the top of the World Rugby rankings for the first time since 2004. It also meant New Zealand dropped to third, equalling their lowest position since the rankings were introduced.

Wales vs South Africa

FB 15 Leigh Halfpenny RW 14 OC 13 Jonathan Davies IC 12 Hadleigh Parkes LW 11 Josh Adams FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Ross Moriarty OF 7 Justin Tipuric BF 6 RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c) LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 FH 22 CE 23 Coach: Warren Gatland

FB 15 RW 14 S'busiso Nkosi OC 13 Lukhanyo Am IC 12 Damian de Allende LW 11 Makazole Mapimpi FH 10 Handré Pollard SH 9 Faf de Klerk N8 8 Duane Vermeulen BF 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit OF 6 Siya Kolisi (c) RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 LK 20 FL 21 SH 22 Herschel Jantjies CE 23 Coach: Rassie Erasmus

Player of the Match: Handré Pollard (South Africa) Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England) Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Notes:

• Gareth Davies (Wales) earned his 50th test cap.

Bronze final: New Zealand vs Wales

FB 15 Beauden Barrett RW 14 Ben Smith OC 13 IC 12 LW 11 Rieko Ioane FH 10 Richie Mo'unga SH 9 N8 8 Kieran Read (c) OF 7 Sam Cane BF 6 RL 5 LL 4 Brodie Retallick TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 CE 22 FB 23 Coach: Steve Hansen

FB 15 Hallam Amos RW 14 Owen Lane OC 13 Jonathan Davies IC 12 LW 11 Josh Adams FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 OF 7 James Davies BF 6 Justin Tipuric RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c) LL 4 Adam Beard TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 FH 22 CE 23 Coach: Warren Gatland

Player of the Match: Brodie Retallick (New Zealand) Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) Pascal Gaüzère (France) Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Final: England vs South Africa

See main article: 2019 Rugby World Cup Final.

FB 15 Elliot Daly RW 14 Anthony Watson OC 13 Manu Tuilagi IC 12 Owen Farrell (c) LW 11 FH 10 SH 9 N8 8 Billy Vunipola OF 7 BF 6 Tom Curry RL 5 LL 4 Maro Itoje TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 FL 20 SH 21 CE 22 CE 23 Coach: Eddie Jones

FB 15 RW 14 Cheslin Kolbe OC 13 Lukhanyo Am IC 12 Damian de Allende LW 11 Makazole Mapimpi FH 10 Handré Pollard SH 9 N8 8 Duane Vermeulen BF 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit OF 6 Siya Kolisi (c) RL 5 LL 4 TP 3 HK 2 LP 1 Replacements: HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19 LK 20 FL 21 SH 22 CE 23 Coach: Rassie Erasmus

Player of the Match: Duane Vermeulen (South Africa) Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France) Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Notes:

• Siya Kolisi (South Africa) earned his 50th test cap.
• François Steyn (South Africa) became the second Springbok player to win two World Cups.
• Jérôme Garcès became the first French referee to take charge of a Rugby World Cup final.
• South Africa became the first Southern Hemisphere team to win The Rugby Championship (previously the Tri Nations) and the Rugby World Cup in the same year.
• South Africa became the first team to win the Rugby World Cup having lost a match during the pool stage.
• This was the first final in which South Africa scored a try, and the one in which they scored the most points, more than they had in their previous two finals combined. It was also the most points England had scored in a final when finishing on the losing side.
• England and South Africa became the third pair of nations to face each other on two separate occasions in a World Cup final (previously having contested the 2007 final) after England and Australia (1991 and 2003) and France and New Zealand (1987 and 2011).
• South Africa came into the match as the only nation to have contested at least one World Cup final to have never lost in the final - this remains the case.

External links

• World Rugby official site

Notes and References

1. News: England reach last-eight after beating 14-man Argentina. Planet Rugby. 5 October 2019. 6 October 2019.
2. News: France book quarter-final spot with nervy win over Tonga. Planet Rugby. 6 October 2019. 6 October 2019.
3. Web site: England dethrone New Zealand to reach Rugby World Cup final. 26 October 2019. Guardian. 30 October 2019.