Pool B of the 2007 Rugby World Cup began on 8 September and was completed on 29 September. The pool was composed of 2003 hosts Australia, as well as Canada, Fiji, Japan and Wales.
Wales' 38–34 loss to Fiji in their final pool game (their third World Cup loss to a Pacific island nation, having previously been beaten 16–13 by Western Samoa in 1991 and 38-31 by Samoa in 1999, both times in Cardiff),[1] meant Fiji qualified for the quarter-finals at Wales' expense. Australia finished in top spot with the maximum of 20 points, while Japan and Canada played out the first draw in a Rugby World Cup game since a 20–20 draw between France and Scotland back in 1987.[2] Neither Japan nor Canada managed to win any of their four games, with a single bonus point in Japan's favour proving the difference between them, after they managed to remain within 7 points of Fiji in a 35–31 defeat.
Standings
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | B | Pts | Qualification |
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1 | Australia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 215 | 41 | +174 | 4 | 20 | Qualified for the quarter-finals |
2 | Fiji | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 136 | −22 | 3 | 15 | |
3 | Wales | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 168 | 105 | +63 | 4 | 12 | Eliminated, automatic qualification for RWC 2011 |
4 | Japan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 64 | 210 | −146 | 1 | 3 | |
5 | Canada | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 51 | 120 | −69 | 0 | 2 |
All times local (UTC+2)
Matches
editAustralia vs Japan
edit8 September 2007 15:45 |
Australia | 91–3 | Japan |
Try: Sharpe 18' m Elsom (3) 24' c, 34' m, 41' c Ashley-Cooper 46' c Latham (2) 53' c, 72' c Barnes (2) 57' c, 75' c Mitchell (2) 59' c, 66' c Smith 62' m Freier 80+' c Con: Mortlock (7/10) Giteau (3/3) Pen: Mortlock (2/2) 10', 16' | Report | Pen: K. Ono (1/1) 38' |
Stade de Gerland, Lyon Attendance: 40,043 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland) |
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- Australia's starting 15 in this match was the most-experienced starting team in the sport's history, as measured by total number of international caps entering the match. The Wallabies squad that took the field for the opening kickoff had earned a combined total of 798 caps.[3]
Wales vs Canada
edit9 September 2007 14:00 |
Wales | 42–17 | Canada |
Try: Parker 52' c A. W. Jones 58' c S. Williams (2) 61' m, 63' c Charvis 68' c Con: S. Jones (4/5) Pen: Hook (3/4) 10', 15', 21' | Report | Try: Cudmore 25' m Culpan 36' c Williams 45' m Con: Pritchard (1/3) |
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Attendance: 37,500 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland) |
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Japan vs Fiji
edit12 September 2007 18:00 |
Japan | 31–35 | Fiji |
Try: Thompson (2) 51' c, 78' c Soma 62' m Con: Onishi (2/3) Pen: Onishi (4/4) 18', 30', 40+', 43' | Report | Try: Qera (2) 36' c, 49' c Rabeni 56' m Leawere 71' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (3/3) 4', 55', 74' |
Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Attendance: 34,500 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa) |
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Wales vs Australia
edit15 September 2007 14:00 |
Wales | 20–32 | Australia |
Try: J. Thomas 45' c S. Williams 76' c Con: Hook (2/2) Pen: S. Jones (1/3) 7' Hook (1/2) 54' | Report | Try: Giteau 16' c Mortlock 35' m Latham (2) 40+' c, 60' c Con: Mortlock (2/2) Giteau (1/2) Pen: Mortlock (1/2) 2' Drop: Barnes (1/1) 23' |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 71,022 Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand) |
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Fiji vs Canada
edit16 September 2007 14:00 |
Fiji | 29–16 | Canada |
Try: Leawere 22' c Ratuvou (2) 28' m, 80+' c Delasau 42' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (1/3) 8' | Report | Try: Smith 60' c Con: Pritchard (1/1) Pen: Pritchard (3/4) 4', 27', 74' |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England) |
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Wales vs Japan
edit20 September 2007 21:00 |
Wales | 73–18 | Japan |
Try: A. W. Jones 11' c Hook 24' c R. Thomas 31' c Morgan 40+' m Phillips 42' c S. Williams (2) 48' m, 80' m D. James 52' c Cooper 59' c M. Williams (2) 64' c, 74' c Con: S. Jones (5/7) Sweeney (2/4) Pen: S. Jones (1/1) 23' | Report | Try: Endo 19' m Onozawa 57' c Con: Robins (1/1) Pen: Onishi (2/2) 4', 37' |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 35,245 Referee: Joël Jutge (France) |
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Australia vs Fiji
edit23 September 2007 14:30 |
Australia | 55–12 | Fiji |
Try: Giteau (2) 17' c, 36' m Mitchell (3) 31' c, 70' c, 79' m Ashley-Cooper 57' c Hoiles 74' m Con: Giteau (4/6) Pen: Giteau (3/3) 28', 42', 50' Drop: Barnes (1/1) 44' | Report | Try: Neivua 40+' m Ratuva 47' c Con: Bai (1/1) |
Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier Attendance: 32,231 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
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Canada vs Japan
edit25 September 2007 18:00 |
Canada | 12–12 | Japan |
Try: Riordan 48' m Van der Merwe 65' c Con: Pritchard (1/2) | Report | Try: Endo 12' m Taira 80+' c Con: Onishi (1/2) |
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux Attendance: 33,810 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) |
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Australia vs Canada
edit29 September 2007 15:00 |
Australia | 37–6 | Canada |
Try: Baxter 24' m Freier 34' m Smith 51' m Mitchell (2) 63' c, 65' m Latham 73' c Con: Shepherd (2/3) Pen: Huxley (1/1) 2' | Report | Pen: Pritchard (2/2) 42', 54' |
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux Attendance: 35,200 Referee: Chris White (England) |
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Wales vs Fiji
edit29 September 2007 17:00 |
Wales | 34–38 | Fiji |
Try: Popham 34' c S. Williams 45' c G. Thomas 48' m M. Jones 51' c M. Williams 73' m Con: Hook (1/1) S. Jones (2/4) Pen: S. Jones (1/2) 5' | Report | Try: Qera 16' c Delasau 19' m Leawere 25' c Dewes 77' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (4/5) 21', 24', 54', 60' |
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Attendance: 37,080 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) |
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References
edit- ^ Davies, Sean (29 September 2007). "Wales 34-38 Fiji". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
- ^ Standley, James (25 September 2007). "Canada 12-12 Japan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
- ^ Griffiths, John (2009-08-17). "Ask John". Scrum.com. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
External links
editExternal videos | |
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Rugby World Cup: Dragon Slayers - RWC 2007 Fiji v Wales on YouTube |