2011 Rugby World Cup Final: End of a Great Tournament

2011 Rugby World Cup logo
http://rugbyfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Rugby-World-
Cup-2011-1024x384.jpg

The Rugby World Cup has been held since 1987. The 7th annual Rugby World Cup recently played it's last game of the tournament. There are two main different types of rugby, rugby union and rugby league. The Rugby World Cup is the world cup for rugby. It was played in New Zealand and 20 teams participated. Those teams are Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, France, Fiji, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Namibia, New Zealand, Romania , Russia, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, Tonga, United States of America, and Wales.


Here are 3 main points to remember about the tournament, from 3rd to 1st.


3. Performance of Teams

Tonga came within 2 points of making the knockout round
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/teams/team=47/photo/index.html

There were 4 pools of 5 teams. Top 2 teams in each pool make the Knockout Stage. In Pool A, New Zealand went undefeated. Both France and Tonga went 2-2-0 (Wins-Losses-Draw), but France made the Knockout Stage due to having more points. Canada went 1-2-1 and Japan went 0-3-1. In Pool B, England never lost and Romania never won. Argentina went 3-1-0, Scotland went 2-2-0, and Georgia went 1-3-0. Pool C saw Ireland go without a blemish and Russia go without a victory. Australia went 3-1-0, Italy 2-2-0, and the US went 1-3-0. South Africa led Pool D with a perfect record, followed by Wales with a 3-1-0, Samoa 2-2-0, Fiji 1-3-0, and Namibia 0-4-0.


In the quarter-finals, Wales def. Ireland 22-10, France def. England 19-12, Australia def defending champs South Africa 11-9 and New Zealand def. Australia 33-10. That made the semi-final match-ups, France-Wales and New Zealand-Australia.

Morne Styen
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/team
s/team=39/player=26292/index.html

2. Stat Leaders Are Led By South Africa's Morne Styen and New Zealand's Colin Slade 


South Africa's Morne Styen was the top scorer of the tournament with 62 points, 10 more then the runner-up. He also tied for  1st in conversions with New Zealand's Colin Slade. France's Vincent Clerc and England's Chris Ashton had the most tries with 7. Slade and France's Morgan Parra had the most points in 1 game this tournament with 23 points. Fiji's Vereniki Goneva had 4 tries in 1 game, this year's tournament record. New Zealand had the most overall points with 301 points. The biggest score differential of 1 game was a 87-0 win by South Africa against Namibia. 


1. The Finals


In the semi's New Zealand beat Australia and France beat Wales. That made the final New Zealand (All Blacks) and France. Both of these teams  faced each other in the final in 1987. The Australian Wallabies and Wales faced off in the bronze medal game, the same as 1987, too. The end result was different, though. In 1987 Wales won. Australia won this time 21-18.

New Zealand vs France
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/matches/match=11235/photo.html

Both New Zealand and France started the tournament in Pool A. In their earlier meeting, New Zealand won easily 37-17. The Final wasn't as one sided. New Zealand started off strong with Tony Woodcock scoring a try (5 points) but the conversion was missed. Then, in the second half, Stephen Douglas of New Zealand kicked a penalty to make it 8-0. France responded quick with a try scored by Thierry Dusautoir and Francios Trinh-Duc converted the conversion. That made the score 8-7. That's the way it ended with New Zealand winning it's 2nd championship, it's first since 1987.