2007 Rugby World Cup Pool B
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.
Overview
The biggest surprise in Pool B was Wales' failure to qualify for the quarter-finals, having been beaten 38–34 in their final pool game against Fiji (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] who claimed second place. Elsewhere, Australia kept up appearances by finishing 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] Japan performed much stronger than expected, and came in 4th after a close see-sawing game against Fiji earned them a bonus point.
Place | Nation | Games | Points | Bonus points |
Table points | |||||
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Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Difference | ||||
1 | Australia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 215 | 41 | +174 | 4 | 20 |
2 | Fiji | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 136 | −22 | 3 | 15 |
3 | Wales | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 168 | 105 | +63 | 4 | 12 |
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)
Australia vs Japan
8 September 2007 15:45 |
Australia | 91 – 3 | Japan |
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Tries: 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' |
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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
9 September 2007 14:00 |
Wales | 42 – 17 | Canada |
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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 | Tries: Cudmore 25' m Culpan 36' c Williams 45' m Con: Pritchard (1/3) |
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Japan vs Fiji
12 September 2007 18:00 |
Japan | 31 – 35 | Fiji |
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Tries: Thompson (2) 51' c, 78' c Soma 62' m Con: Onishi (2/3) Pen: Onishi (4/4) 18', 30', 40+', 43' |
Report | Tries: Qera (2) 36' c, 49' c Rabeni 56' m Leawere 71' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (3/3) 4', 55', 74' |
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Wales vs Australia
15 September 2007 14:00 |
Wales | 20 – 32 | Australia |
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Tries: J. Thomas 45' c S. Williams 76' c Con: Hook (2/2) Pen: S. Jones (1/3) 7' Hook (1/2) 54' |
Report | Tries: 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' |
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Fiji vs Canada
16 September 2007 14:00 |
Fiji | 29 – 16 | Canada |
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Tries: Leawere 22' c Ratuvou (2) 28' m, 80+' c Delasau 42' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (1/3) 8' |
Report | Tries: Smith 60' c Con: Pritchard (1/1) Pen: Pritchard (3/4) 4', 27', 74' |
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Wales vs Japan
20 September 2007 21:00 |
Wales | 72 – 18 | Japan |
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Tries: A. W. Jones 11' c Hook 24' c T. 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 | Tries: Endo 19' m Onozawa 57' c Con: Robins (1/1) Pen: Onishi (2/2) 4', 37' |
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Australia vs Fiji
23 September 2007 14:30 |
Australia | 55 – 12 | Fiji |
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Tries: 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 | Tries: Neivua 40+' m Ratuva 47' c Con: Bai (1/1) |
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Canada vs Japan
25 September 2007 18:00 |
Canada | 12 – 12 | Japan |
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Tries: Riordan 48' m van der Merwe 65' c Con: Pritchard (1/1) |
Report | Tries: Endo 12' m Taira 80+' c Con: Onishi (1/2) |
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Australia vs Canada
29 September 2007 15:00 |
Australia | 37 – 6 | Canada |
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Tries: 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' |
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Wales vs Fiji
29 September 2007 17:00 |
Wales | 34 – 38 | Fiji |
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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 | Tries: Qera 16' c Delasau 19' m Leawere 25' c Dewes 77' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (4/5) 21', 24', 54', 60' |
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References
- ↑ 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.