The Springboks will play their Rugby World Cup 2011 matches exclusively in Wellington and the Auckland area, following the announcement of the match schedule in New Zealand overnight.

South Africa kick off their tournament against Wales at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Sunday, September 11, two days after hosts New Zealand open the tournament against Tonga at Eden Park in Auckland.

The Springboks stay in Wellington for their second Pool D match against Fiji on Saturday, September 17, before moving to the top of the North Island. They play an Africa Qualifier at the North Harbour Stadium on Thursday, September 22 and complete pool play at the same venue against the Oceania qualifier — likely to be Samoa — on Friday, September 30.

The top two teams from Pool D return to Wellington for the quarterfinals on the weekend of October 8/9 with the semifinals taking place at Eden Park, Auckland a week later and the final at the same venue on October 23.

The 48 tournament matches are scheduled across 13 venues in 13 cities: Auckland, North Shore, Whangarei, Hamilton, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill.

Rugby World Cup (RWCL) Chairman, Bernard Lapasset, said: “The sporting world is awaiting with great excitement the next chapter in Rugby World Cup history and we are delighted that New Zealand, a country so rich in Rugby heritage and tradition, is the host of Rugby World Cup 2011.

“A lot of work and collaboration has gone into the match schedule and the selection of match venues. This has included input from the IRB, Rugby New Zealand 2011 and the cities and regions of New Zealand. The RWCL Board is very happy with the outcome and believes this is the best balanced schedule we have seen for a Rugby World Cup in terms of benefitting player welfare.”

Speaking at the announcement in Auckland, RWCL Managing Director Mike Miller said: “While the number of match venues is more than Australia 2003 and France 2007 it reflects the Organising Committee’s desire to take the tournament to the entire nation under its call to arms of a Stadium of Four Million People philosophy. RWCL fully supports this and the desire to ensure the tournament has a unique Look and Feel that fits in with the cultural background of the nation.”

The pools:

Pool A: New Zealand, France, Tonga, Americas 1, Asia 1
Pool B: Argentina, England, Scotland, Europe 1, Play-off winner
Pool C: Australia, Ireland, Italy, Europe 2, Americas 2
Pool D: South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Oceania 1, Africa 1

Schedule
Date Pool Match City Stadium
Pool stages
Fri, Sept 9 A NZ v Tonga Auckland Eden Park
Sat, Sept 10 B Scot v Play-off winner Invercargill Rugby Park
Sat, Sept 10 D Fiji v Africa 1 Rotorua International
Sat, Sept 10 A France v Asia 1 Albany North Harbour
Sat, Sept 10 B Arg v Eng Christchurch Christchurch
Sun, Sept 11 C Aus v Ita Christchurch Christchurch
Sun, Sept 11 C Ire v Americas 1 New Plymouth Taranaki
Sun, Sept 11 D SA v Wales Wellington Wellington
Wed, Sept 14 D Oceania 1 v Africa 1 Rotorua International
Wed, Sept 14 A Tonga v Americas 1 Whangarei Northland
Wed, Sept 14 B Scot v Euro 1 Dunedin Carisbrook
Thu, Sept 15 C Euro 2 v Americas 2 New Plymouth Taranaki
Fri, Sept 16 A NZ v Asia 1 Hamilton Waikato
Sat, Sept 17 B Arg v Play-off winner Invercargill Rugby Park
Sat, Sept 17 D SA v Fiji Wellington Wellington
Sat, Sept 17 C Aus v Ire Auckland Eden Park
Sun, Sept 18 D Wales v Oceania 1 Hamilton Waikato
Sun, Sept 18 B Eng v Euro 1 Christchurch Christchurch
Sun, Sept 18 A Fra v Americas 1 Napier McLean Park
Tue, Sept 20 C Ita v Euro 2 Nelson Trafalgar Park
Wed, Sept 21 A Tonga v Asia 1 Whangarei Northland
Thu, Sept 22 D SA v Africa 1 Albany North Harbour
Fri, Sept 23 C Aus v Americas 2 Wellington Wellington
Sat, Sept 24 B Eng v Play-off winner Dunedin Carisbrook
Sat, Sept 24 A NZ v Fra Auckland Eden Park
Sun, Sept 25 D Fiji v Oceania 1 Auckland Eden Park
Sun, Sept 25 C Ire v Euro 2 Rotorua International
Sun, Sept 25 B Arg v Scot Christchurch Christchurch
Mon, Sept 26 D Wales v Africa 1 New Plymouth Taranaki
Tue, Sept 27 A Americas 1 v Asia 1 Napier McLean Park
Tue, Sept 27 C Ita v Americas 2 Nelson Trafalgar Park
Wed, Sept 28 B Euro 1 v Play-off winner Palmerston North Manawatu
Fri, Sept 30 D SA v Oceania 1 Albany North Harbour
Sat, Oct 1 C Aus v Euro 2 Christchurch Christchurch
Sat, Oct 1 A Fra v Tonga Wellington Wellington
Sat, Oct 1 B Eng v Scot Auckland Eden Park
Sun, Oct 2 B Arg v Euro 1 Palmerston North Manawatu
Sun, Oct 2 A NZ v Americas 1 Wellington Wellington
Sun, Oct 2 D Wales v Fiji Hamilton Waikato
Sun, Oct 2 C Ire v Italy Dunedin Carisbrook
Quarterfinals
Sat, Oct 8 QF 1 W Pool C v RU Pool D Wellington Wellington
Sat, Oct 8 QF 2 W Pool B v RU Pool A Christchurch Christchurch
Sun, Oct 9 QF 3 W Pool D v RU Pool C Wellington Wellington
Sun, Oct 9 QF 4 W Pool A v RU Pool B Christchurch Christchurch
Semifinals
Sat, Oct 15 SF 1 W QF1 v W QF2 Auckland Eden Park
Sun, Oct 16 SF 2 W QF3 v W QF4 Auckland Eden Park
Third place play-off
Fri, Oct 21 3rd place play-off Loser semifinal 1 v Loser semifinal 2 Auckland Eden Park
Final
Sun, Oct 23 Final Winner semifinal 1 v Winner semifinal 2 Auckland Eden Park


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