Rugby World Cup 2011
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AUCKLAND CITY — Japan hope to uncork the champagne and make history by beating France in their Rugby World Cup 2011 opener at North Harbour Stadium on 10 September.
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WELLINGTON CITY — If host nation New Zealand are feeling the heat, so too are defending Rugby World Cup champions South Africa, according to Springbok wing Bryan Habana.
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WAITANGI — Canada wing Taylor Paris is the youngest player at Rugby World Cup 2011, but he has not asked senior teammates what he should expect.
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NELSON — When scrum half Alessandro Troncon was chaired off the pitch at the end of his 101st and final match for Italy - an 18-16 loss to Scotland at Rugby World Cup 2007 - one of the big questions facing the Azzurri was who would take over the No.9 jersey.
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WELLINGTON CITY — When it comes to supporting captain John Smit in the face of media and public criticism, South African lock Bakkies Botha is as direct and uncompromising as he is on the field.
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AUCKLAND CITY — Just three days into New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup campaign and Cory Jane is already feeling the pressure.
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DUNEDIN — England's first training run at Carisbrook Stadium on Monday began with a question mark over who will be their fly half at Rugby World Cup 2011 - but it is the vacant No.9 shirt that could prove more crucial.
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ASHBURTON — Romania's forwards coach Steve McDowall is aiming to improve his team's scrum ahead of their Pool B opener against Scotland.
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WHANGANUI — In the United States, rugby sevens is not just a fertile breeding ground for new talent, it is spearheading the campaign to introduce the American public to the “game they play in heaven”.
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WELLINGTON — South Africa coach Peter de Villiers promised to "try to behave" and live up to the honour bestowed on him after being declared an honorary Maori when the team received their official welcome to Wellington on Monday.
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DUNEDIN — Argentina's welcome ceremony for Rugby World Cup 2011 was special in more ways than one.
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RWC 2011 Judicial Process Background Information The on-field disciplinary process for Rugby World Cup 2011 deals with Illegal and/or Foul Play and Misconduct.
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WELLINGTON — Wales were honoured with their first haka of the Rugby World Cup during a ceremonial welcome to New Zealand on Sunday afternoon.
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WHANGANUI — USA players battled up the Whanganui River in Maori waka (canoes) on Sunday as they received a traditional welcoming ceremony from the North Island community.
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Fabio Semenzato, Tommaso Benvenuti and Tommaso D'Apice are three of Italy's new faces determined to make their mark at Rugby World Cup 2011.
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Namibia hooker Hugo Horn believes the team's balance of old and new has them ready to record their strongest Rugby World Cup result.
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South Africa second row Johann Muller has responded to a claim by Wales coach Warren Gatland that the Springboks "don't play rugby".
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Queenstown, an adrenaline haven for daredevils, has been keeping Ireland's players on their toes.
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Romanian rugby risks languishing at representative level once the current generation of players retire, according to respected members of the national team and its coaching staff.
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Victor Vito hopes coffee dates with the injured Kieran Read hold the key to him making the New Zealand number 8 jersey his own.
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England prop Andrew Sheridan doesn’t mind a drink, but it’s all in the name of education.
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At first glance Pool D appears straightforward enough, with the wise money backing Wales and South Africa to go through.
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It has been four years since former Ireland front row forward Dr Syd Millar stepped down as chairman of the International Rugby Board, but his passion for the sport continues to burn as brightly as ever.
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With eight days to go until their opening match against Ireland, USA captain Todd Clever believes his team are strong enough to secure their third win at a Rugby World Cup.
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Former South Africa assistant coach Gert Smal revealed he has been recounting his memories of a successful World Cup campaign in 2007 to boost Ireland's hopes in New Zealand.
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With his three-year-old granddaughter Molly perched on his shoulders, Graeme Taiaroa fulfilled a vow he made 24 years ago when he took part in a rapturous welcoming ceremony for the All Blacks on Saturday.
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Romanian rugby has pulled itself out of a "black hole" just in time for the Rugby World Cup 2011, according to members of the national team.
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Ask any of the Italian delegation what their objective is for Rugby World Cup 2011 and the response will be the same - to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
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Having pushed South Africa hard in their last three encounters, Wales coach Warren Gatland (NZL) believes his side have the credentials to succeed in their opening Pool D game against the defending champions in Wellington on 11 September.
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Romania's squad are still reeling from Catalin Fercu's shock withdrawal from Rugby World Cup 2011, according to teammate Cristian Petre.
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Japan centre Yuta Imamura is likely to miss his side's opening Rugby World Cup 2011 game against France with a sprained right ankle.
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Former New Zealand centre Andy Jefferd has seen some significant changes in rugby since he last donned the All Blacks strip in 1981.
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Even though he made his international debut in 1996, England lock Simon Shaw says he is still learning in a bid to keep up with the modern game.
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Namibia captain Jacques Burger does not want anyone thinking his side are content just to make up the numbers at Rugby World Cup 2011, even though they have lost all 11 matches in their tournament history.
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Four premier Kiwi singers have been confirmed for the anthem singing roles at the two semi-finals of Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011).
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Rugby World Cup 2007 in France was the sixth time the tournament had been held, with 86 nations taking part in qualifying before 20 teams faced off for the Webb Ellis Cup.
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With 88 caps to his name, Andrea Lo Cicero is the most capped player in the Italy squad and along with flanker Mauro Bergamasco he is about to be involved in his fourth Rugby World Cup.
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The Rugby World Cup 2011 Match Officials have arrived in New Zealand and the group are in optimum physical condition thanks to an innovative physical monitoring and conditioning programme.
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Rugby officials and the Canterbury Romanian community flocked to Ashburton on Friday to welcome the Romanian team to New Zealand.
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Four key French players look set to revive their Rugby World Cup 2011 campaigns after injuries had threatened to end their participation.
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Despite having never beaten France, Japan are planning to take the fight to Les Bleus in their Rugby World Cup 2011 opener at North Harbour Stadium on 10 September.
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Japan got a taste of inclement New Zealand weather during their first training session at Silverdale Rugby Club on Friday.
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Former All Blacks star Steve McDowall has finally set the record straight over the misspelling of his surname.
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In his fourth Rugby World Cup campaign for England, Jonny Wilkinson’s desire to win burns as brightly as ever.
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A 24-year tradition will continue when a historic whistle and coin is used for the opening match of Rugby World Cup 2011 between New Zealand and Tonga at Eden Park on 9 September.
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Romania face an uphill battle at their seventh Rugby World Cup.
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New Zealand's Rugby World Cup veteran Mils Muliaina came face to face with a crowd of hundreds of All Blacks fans during a trip to Gisborne on Friday.
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It is indicative that Wallaby Test veteran Nathan Sharpe is more concerned with getting Australia over the line at Rugby World Cup 2011 than reaching his 100-Test milestone.
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More than 36,000 South African fans turned out in Johannesburg to bid farewell to the Springboks as they departed for New Zealand to defend the Rugby World Cup they won in 2007 in France.
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Russian centre Igor Galinovsky has been ruled out of Rugby World Cup 2011 after sustaining an injury on the Bears' recent UK tour.
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When a South African, French or Australian XV takes the field there is, of course, plenty of cheering in the clubhouses of Bloemfontein, Biarritz and Brisbane.
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France will be missing centre Maxime Mermoz for their opening Pool A match of Rugby World Cup 2011 against Japan on 10 September.
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Tournament Organisers for Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) today unveiled some key elements of the Opening Ceremony which will kick-off the seventh Rugby World Cup at 7.30pm (NZT) on Friday, September 9, including a key role for a New Zealand sports star.
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While England will be considered favourites going into their opening match against Argentina, England manager Martin Johnson is not buying the hype.
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Pool C appears clear cut, with the buoyant Australians poised to run out winners.
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Japan's players were given their official Rugby World Cup 2011 caps and a warm reception at the tournament's first welcome ceremony on Thursday as fans flocked to Aotea Square.
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A goodwill visit to Christchurch by England's team before their first match of Rugby World Cup 2011 is the right thing to do, manager Martin Johnson said on Thursday.
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Jonny Wilkinson broke the hearts of Australia in one of the most dramatic finales in the history of the Rugby World Cup.
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James Horwill has been given a five-star endorsement from one of his idols as Australia's new skipper bids to add a Rugby World Cup to the Tri Nations title his Wallabies sealed in Brisbane.
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All 48 matches of Rugby World Cup 2011 will be available live on television to fans in Antarctica, Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) has announced.
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Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle for any player, the chance to test himself against the best in the world.
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Gordon D'Arcy's departure to New Zealand with the Ireland squad has been delayed by 48 hours after the centre picked up a calf strain at a recovery session following the 20-9 defeat by England on Saturday.
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The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the first since the start of the professional era in 1996.
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Argentina have called Genaro Fessia into their Rugby World Cup 2011 squad to replace injured flanker Alvaro Galindo.
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New Zealand number 8 Kieran Read will miss the opening weeks of Rugby World Cup 2011 while fellow loose forward Adam Thomson is likely to be unavailable for the opening match against Tonga on 9 September.
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Fiji were the first team to arrive in New Zealand for Rugby World Cup 2011 and received a rousing airport reception which included traditional islander singing and dancing and a Maori ceremony of welcome.
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Dan Carter believes New Zealand's hopes of victory at Rugby World Cup 2011 depend on how well they cope with the mental pressure of playing in front of their rugby-mad public.
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Ten essentials teams must aim to get right if they want to lift the Webb Ellis Cup on 23 October at Rugby World Cup 2011.
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New Zealand coach Graham Henry has played down the significance of the All Blacks' defeat by Australia on Saturday, pointing out that history shows Tri Nations success is not linked to Rugby World Cup glory.
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Ireland will arrive in New Zealand for Rugby World Cup 2011 occupying their lowest ever position in the IRB World Rankings after slipping another place to eighth on the back of a 20-9 loss to England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
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Ireland have called up Leinster's Shane Jennings as a replacement for flanker David Wallace, who suffered a serious knee ligament injury during Ireland's 20-9 defeat by England on Saturday in their last-warm up match before Rugby World Cup 2011.
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Nelson Mandela's release from prison in February 1990 paved the way for the end of apartheid in South Africa and the lifting of the international sporting boycott on the country.
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A full stadium and a television audience of millions would be intimidating for most children, but for 147 ball boys and girls across the country it is the opportunity of a lifetime.
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England, Scotland and Argentina will battle with Georgia and Romania for two quarter-final places from Pool B in arguably the most fiercely contested group at Rugby World Cup 2011.
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Rugby has more complex rules and regulations than most sports.
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Five countries shared the hosting duties for the second Rugby World Cup in 1991.
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Argentina coach Santiago Phelan returns to the Rugby World Cup with high hopes and a simple objective: to build on the Pumas' third-place finish in 2007.
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“It all depends which France turns up...” Generally a pretty good one, judging by previous World Cups.
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Rugby World Cup 2011 favourites New Zealand and two-time finalists France are expected to qualify for the quarter-finals from Pool A and the hosts will be grateful there can be no repeat of the shock defeats by Les Tricolores in the knockout phase that sent the All Blacks home in 1999 and 2007.
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In 1987 New Zealand and Australia hosted the first Rugby World Cup, a tournament memorable for David Campese, Serge Blanco and the brilliance of the All Blacks.
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Ireland’s preparations for Rugby World Cup 2011 have been far from ideal with three defeats in a row this month, but it could get even worse as a loss to England on Saturday will see them slump to their lowest ever position in the IRB World Rankings.
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Philippe Saint-André has been confirmed as France's next coach.
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When Australia ran out to contest the World Cup final in 1999, six words were imprinted on the players’ minds: Our destiny is in our hands.
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A guide to the rules and regulations for Rugby World Cup 2011.
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All 20 countries set to compete at Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand have now named their 30-man squads for the Tournament. The squad announcements have been eagerly anticipated by rugby fans around the world, desperate to learn who will carry their hopes for World Cup glory over the coming weeks.
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Right across the country, fans who can’t make it along to the stadium will be able to experience the buzz of RWC 2011 at one of 19 Fanzones...
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Follow the final weeks in the build-up to the Tournament in our last issue of TWENTY11, the official newsletter of Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011).
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RNZ 2011 CEO Martin Snedden takes a look at the final preparations and extends a warm welcome to all visiting fans...
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Samoa have long since punched above their weight on the world stage, and the 30-man squad for RWC 2011 has the talent to cause more upsets.
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South Africa have banked on experience in their attempts to become the first nation to successfully defend the Webb Ellis Cup with 18 of their 30-man squad for Rugby World Cup 2011 having been part of the France 2007 winning group.
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When Tonga face France in their Pool A clash they can count on captain Finau Maka for some inside knowledge.
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Russia’s squad for its first-ever Rugby World Cup campaign has put the town of Monino, on the outskirts of Moscow, on the map.
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