Rugby World Cup 2011 Match Schedule Announced

The International Rugby Board has announced the match schedule for the seventh Rugby World Cup, to be played in New Zealand from Friday, September 9 to Sunday, October 23, 2011.

It will be the largest global sporting event in 2011 and will kick off in Auckland when the host Nation New Zealand plays Tonga in a Pool A match.
The 48 matches that comprise the tournament are scheduled across 13 venues in 13 cities: 

Auckland, North Shore (Auckland), Whangarei, Hamilton, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.

Ireland, drawn in Pool C alongside Australia, Italy and qualifiers from America and Europe, face a tour of the North Island of  New Zealand with one detour to the South Island for the game against Italy. 

Ireland will open their campaign against Americas 2 on Sunday, September 11 in Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth.

Six days later, they travel to Eden Park in Auckland to face two-time Rugby World Cup winners Australia.

The third pool match sees Ireland in Rotorua for the game against the qualifiers from Europe on Sunday, September 25.

Ireland’s final pool game against Italy will take place in the famous “House of Pain” – Carisbrook Stadium in Dunedin.

The quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup will be played in Wellington and Christchurch with the semi-finals and final all down for Eden Park in Auckland.

IRELAND’S RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011 POOL MATCH SCHEDULE:

Sunday, September 11 – Pool C – Ireland v Americas 2, Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth

Saturday, September 17 – Pool C – Australia v Ireland, Eden Park, Auckland

Sunday, September 25 – Pool C – Ireland v Europe 2, Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua

Sunday, October 2 – Pool C – Ireland v Italy, Carisbrook, Dunedin

The full match schedule is available here.