Pools and match schedule

Pools and match schedule for the Rugby World Cup 2011 which kicks off in a year's time in New Zealand:

Pools

Pool A: New Zealand, France, Tonga, Canada, Japan

Pool B: Argentina, England, Scotland, Georgia, winner of two-leg play-off between Romania and Uruguay

Pool C: Australia, Ireland, Italy, Russia, USA

Pool D: South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Samoa, Namibia

Match Schedule

Fri Sept 9: New Zealand v Tonga, Auckland (Eden Park)

Sat Sept 10: Scotland v Play-off winner, Invercargill (Rugby Park Stadium); Fiji v Namibia, Rotorua (Rotorua International Stadium); France v Japan, Auckland (North Harbour Stadium); Argentina v England, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch)

Sun

Sept 11: Australia v Italy, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch); Ireland v USA, New Plymouth (Stadium Taranaki); South Africa v Wales, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium)

Wed Sept 14: Samoa v Namibia, Rotorua (Rotorua International Stadium); Tonga v Canada, Whangarei (Northland Events Centre), Scotland v Georgia, Dunedin (Carisbrook)

Thu Sept 15: Russia v USA, New Plymouth (Stadium Taranaki)

Fri Sept 16: New Zealand v Japan, Hamilton (Waikato Stadium)

Sat Sept 17: Argentina v Play-off winner, Invercargill (Rugby Park Stadium); South Africa v Fiji, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium); Australia v Ireland, Auckland (Eden Park)

Sun Sept 18: Wales v Samoa, Hamilton (Waikato Stadium); England v Georgia, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch); France v Canada, Napier (McLean Park)

Tue Sept 20: Italy v Russia, Nelson (Trafalgar Park)

Wed Sept 21: Tonga v Japan, Whangarei (Northland Events Centre) Thu Sept 22: South Africa v Namibia, Auckland (North Harbour Stadium)

Fri Sept 23: Australia v USA, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium)

Sat Sept 24: England v Play-off winner, Dunedin (Carisbrook); New Zealand v France, Auckland (Eden Park)

Sun Sept 25: Fiji v Samoa, Auckland (Eden Park); Ireland v Russia, Rotorua (Rotorua International Stadium); Argentina v Scotland, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch)

Mon Sept 26: Wales v Namibia, New Plymouth (Stadium Taranaki)

Tue Sept 27: Canada v Japan, Napier (McLean Park); Italy v USA, Nelson (Trafalgar Park)

Wed Sept 28: Georgia v Play-off winner, Palmerston (North Arena Manawatu)

Fri Sept 30: South Africa v Samoa, Auckland (North Harbour Stadium)

Sat Oct 1: Australia v Russia, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch); France v Tonga, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium); England v Scotland, Auckland (Eden Park)

Sun Oct 2: Argentina v Georgia, Palmerston (North Arena Manawatu); New Zealand v Canada, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium); Wales v Fiji, Hamilton (Waikato Stadium); Ireland v Italy, Dunedin (Carisbrook)

Play-off stage

Quarter-finals

Sat Oct 8: QF1, winner Pool C v runner-up Pool D, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium); QF2, winner Pool B v runner-up Pool A, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch)

Sun Oct 9: QF3, winner Pool D v runner-up Pool C, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium); QF4, winner Pool A v runner-up Pool B, Christchurch (Stadium Christchurch)

Semi-finals

Sat Oct 15: SF1, winner QF1 v winner QF2, Auckland (Eden Park)

Sun Oct 16: SF2, winner QF3 v winner QF4, Auckland (Eden Park) Fri Oct 21: Third-place match, Auckland (Eden Park)

Final

Sun Oct 23: Final, Auckland (Eden Park)

PARIS, Thursday, AFP