It's nearly here

After all the waiting, the Rugby World Cup kicks off in under three hours time. Unlike the recent World Athletics Championships which I missed almost all of, I have a fighting chance of watching all of England's games and maybe even some other pool games. All of England's matches are on at the weekend and none start before 7am so that should not be too difficult although some negotiating with Mrs NotaSheep may be in order as she is not a great rugby fan although she does try (pun intended).

Here are the Rugby World Cup Pools:
Pool A
New Zealand, France, Tonga, Canada, Japan

Pool B
Argentina, England, Scotland, Georgia, Romania

Pool C
Australia, Ireland, Italy, Russia, United States

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


Here are the Rugby World Cup fixtures:
9 September:
New Zealand v Tonga, Eden Park, Auckland (0930 BST)

10 September:
Scotland v Romania, Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill (0200 BST)
Fiji v Namibia, Rotorua International Stadium (0430 BST)
France v Japan, North Harbour Stadium, North Shore (0700 BST)
Argentina v England, Otago Stadium, Dunedin (0930 BST)

11 September:
Australia v Italy, North Harbour Stadium, Auckland (0430 BST)
Ireland v United States, Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth (0700 BST)
South Africa v Wales, Wellington Regional Stadium (0930 BST)

14 September:
Manu Samoa v Namibia, Rotorua International Stadium (0330 BST)
Tonga v Canada, Northland Events Centre, Whangarei (0600 BST)
Scotland v Georgia, Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill (0830 BST)

15 September:
Russia v United States, Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth (0830 BST)

16 September:
New Zealand v Japan, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (0900 BST)

17 September:
Argentina v Romania, Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill (0430 BST)
South Africa v Fiji, Wellington Regional Stadium (0700 BST)
Australia v Ireland, Eden Park, Auckland (0930 BST)

18 September:
Wales v Manu Samoa, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (0430 BST)
England v Georgia, Otago Stadium, Dunedin (0700 BST)
France v Canada, McLean Park, Napier (0930 BST)

20 September:
Italy v Russia, Trafalgar Park, Nelson (0830 BST)

21 September:
Tonga v Japan, Northland Events Centre, Whangarei (0830 BST)

22 September:
South Africa v Namibia, North Harbour Stadium, North Shore (0900 BST)

23 September:
Australia v United States, Wellington Regional Stadium (0930 BST)

24 September:
England v Romania, Carisbrook, Dunedin (0700 BST)
New Zealand v France, Eden Park, Auckland (0930 BST)

25 September:
Fiji v Manu Samoa, Eden Park, Auckland (0330 BST)
Ireland v Russia, Rotorua International Stadium (0600 BST)
Argentina v Scotland, Wellington Regional Stadium (0830 BST)

26 September:
Wales v Namibia, Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth (0730 BST)

27 September:
Canada v Japan, McLean Park, Napier (0500 BST)
Italy v United States, Trafalgar Park, Nelson (0730 BST)

28 September:
Georgia v Romania, Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North (0730 BST)

30 September:
South Africa v Manu Samoa, North Harbour Stadium, North Shore (0830 BST)

1 October:
Australia v Russia, Nelson (0330 BST)
France v Tonga, Wellington Regional Stadium (0600 BST)
England v Scotland, Eden Park, Auckland (0830 BST)

2 October:
Argentina v Georgia, Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North (0100 BST)
New Zealand v Canada, Wellington Regional Stadium (0330 BST)
Wales v Fiji, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (0600 BST)
Ireland v Italy, Carisbrook, Dunedin (0830 BST)

Quarter-final One: 8 October
Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
(Wellington Regional Stadium, 0600 BST)

Quarter-final Two: 8 October
Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
(Lancaster Park Stadium, 0830 BST)

Quarter-final Three: 9 October
Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
(Wellington Regional Stadium, 0600 BST)

Quarter-final Four: 9 October
Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B
(Lancaster Park Stadium, 0830 BST)

Semi-final One: 15 October
Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
(Eden Park, Auckland, 0900 BST)

Semi-final Two: 16 October
Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
(Eden Park, Auckland, 0900 BST)

Bronze final: 21 October
Loser SF1 v Loser SF2
(Eden Park, Auckland, 0830 BST)

Final: 23 October
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
(Eden Park, Auckland, 0900 BST)


If you watch rugby this is the most exciting six weeks of any four year cycle. I remember 2003 when England won the Rugby World Cup; I watched all of England's matches and a good many of the others but due to poor planning found myself on a long-haul flight for the final... I learnt of the result over the Atlantic and it was not for almost a week that I saw more than just the highlights, of course by then all the suspense had gone as I knew what Jonny Wilkinson was about to do. This year I plan to suffer no such issues - clients, friends and family please take note!