Mayor welcomes winning Canada to Wellington

Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast says Canada’s big Rugby World Cup qualifying win over the United States today means another piece has fallen into place for what is shaping up to be a fantastic few weeks of competition in Wellington in 2011.

"Canada's 41-18 win – a convincing victory by anyone's standards – in Edmonton means they're on their way to New Zealand and they'll be playing the All Blacks at the Stadium in Wellington's final RWC pool match."

The US beat Canada 12-6 in the first of the two-game, total-point qualifier earlier this week at Charleston, South Carolina. Canada won 47-30 on aggregate.

Apart from Canada and the All Blacks, Wellington will host pool matches featuring the Springboks, France, Wales, Fiji, Australia and Tonga.

"Canada is an up-and-coming rugby nation and the team and their supporters will be assured of a warm welcome and an experience they will never forget in the Capital of the most rugby-mad country in the world," says Mayor Prendergast.

Wellington will host seven matches – including two quarter-finals.

Mayor Prendergast says the tournament will kick off strongly in the Capital with the Springboks versus Wales, while the weekend before the quarter-finals will also be a blockbuster – with France-Tonga on the Saturday and the All Blacks versus Canada on the Sunday.

"This double-header will kick off a festival week in the Capital leading up to the quarters. We'll be pulling out all the stops to make sure the fans have a memorable stay in the Capital."