The knockout stage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup began on 8 October with a quarter-final between Ireland and Wales and concluded on 23 October with the final at Eden Park in Auckland.
New Zealand were the first team to qualify for the knockout stage, when they beat France 37–17 in their penultimate Pool A game. New Zealand and France re-encountered in the final, that was won by the local team 8–7. This was a rematch of the 1987 final, also in Eden Park and also won by New Zealand. This way, New Zealand got their second title, while France their third final.
For the first time in World Cup history, three teams that finished second in their respective pools qualified for the semi-finals, while South Africa became the second defending champions not to reach the semi-finals after Australia in 1995.
Furthermore, the bottom half of the bracket was entirely composed of the 2012 Rugby Championship teams and the other half was composed of the last four Six Nations champions since the last World Cup.
Bracket
Quarter-finals
Ireland vs Wales
FB 15Rob KearneyRW 14Tommy BoweOC 13Brian O'Driscoll (c)IC 12Gordon D'Arcy LW 11Keith Earls FH 10Ronan O'Gara SH 9 Conor Murray N8 8 Jamie Heaslip OF 7 Seán O'BrienBF 6 Stephen Ferris RL 5 Paul O'ConnellLL 4 Donncha O'CallaghanTP 3 Mike RossHK 2 Rory Best LP 1 Cian HealyReplacements:HK 16Seán CroninPR 17Tom CourtLK 18Donnacha Ryan N8 19Denis Leamy SH 20Eoin Reddan FH 21Johnny Sexton WG 22Andrew Trimble Coach: Declan Kidney FB 15Leigh HalfpennyRW 14George NorthOC 13Jonathan DaviesIC 12Jamie RobertsLW 11Shane WilliamsFH 10Rhys Priestland SH 9 Mike PhillipsN8 8 Taulupe FaletauOF 7 Sam Warburton (c)BF 6 Dan LydiateRL 5 Alun Wyn JonesLL 4 Luke Charteris TP 3 Adam JonesHK 2 Huw BennettLP 1 Gethin JenkinsReplacements:HK 16Lloyd BurnsPR 17Paul JamesLK 18Bradley Davies FL 19Ryan JonesSH 20Lloyd WilliamsFH 21James Hook CE 22Scott WilliamsCoach: Warren Gatland Man of the Match: Mike Phillips (Wales)
Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England) Romain Poite (France) Television match official: Giulio de Santis (Italy)
England vs France
FB 15Ben FodenRW 14Chris AshtonOC 13Manu TuilagiIC 12Toby Flood LW 11Mark CuetoFH 10Jonny Wilkinson SH 9 Ben Youngs N8 8 Nick EasterOF 7 Lewis Moody (c) BF 6 Tom Croft RL 5 Tom PalmerLL 4 Louis Deacon TP 3 Dan Cole HK 2 Steve Thompson LP 1 Matt Stevens Replacements:HK 16Dylan Hartley PR 17Alex Corbisiero LK 18Courtney Lawes LK 19Simon Shaw FL 20James Haskell SH 21Richard Wigglesworth WG 22Matt Banahan Coach: Martin Johnson FB 15Maxime MédardRW 14Vincent ClercOC 13Aurélien Rougerie IC 12Maxime Mermoz LW 11Alexis PalissonFH 10Morgan ParraSH 9 Dimitri Yachvili N8 8 Imanol Harinordoquy OF 7 Julien BonnaireBF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c)RL 5 Lionel NalletLL 4 Pascal Papé TP 3 Nicolas MasHK 2 William Servat LP 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux Replacements:HK 16Dimitri Szarzewski PR 17Fabien Barcella LK 18Julien Pierre N8 19Louis Picamoles FH 20François Trinh-Duc CE 21David Marty FB 22Cédric Heymans Coach: Marc Lièvremont Man of the Match: Imanol Harinordoquy (France)
Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland) George Clancy (Ireland) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
South Africa vs Australia
FB 15Patrick LambieRW 14JP PietersenOC 13Jaque FourieIC 12Jean de Villiers LW 11Bryan Habana FH 10Morné SteynSH 9 Fourie du PreezN8 8 Pierre Spies BF 7 Schalk Burger OF 6 Heinrich Brüssow RL 5 Victor MatfieldLL 4 Danie RossouwTP 3 Jannie du PlessisHK 2 John Smit (c) LP 1 Gurthrö SteenkampReplacements:HK 16Bismarck du Plessis PR 17CJ van der LindeFL 18Willem Alberts FL 19Francois Louw SH 20Francois Hougaard FH 21Butch JamesCT 22Gio AplonCoach: Peter de Villiers FB 15Kurtley Beale RW 14James O'ConnorOC 13Adam Ashley-CooperIC 12Pat McCabe LW 11Digby IoaneFH 10Quade CooperSH 9 Will GeniaN8 8 Radike Samo OF 7 David PocockBF 6 Rocky ElsomRL 5 James Horwill (c)LL 4 Dan Vickerman TP 3 Ben AlexanderHK 2 Stephen Moore LP 1 Sekope Kepu Replacements:HK 16Tatafu Polota-Nau PR 17James Slipper LK 18Nathan Sharpe N8 19Ben McCalman SH 20Luke BurgessFH 21Berrick Barnes CE 22Anthony Fainga'a Coach: Robbie Deans Man of the Match: David Pocock (Australia)
Touch judges: Dave Pearson (England) Romain Poite (France) Television match official: Giulio de Santis (Italy)
New Zealand vs Argentina
FB 15Mils Muliaina RW 14Cory JaneOC 13Conrad SmithIC 12Ma'a Nonu LW 11Sonny Bill WilliamsFH 10Colin Slade SH 9 Piri Weepu N8 8 Kieran ReadOF 7 Richie McCaw (c) BF 6 Jerome KainoRL 5 Sam Whitelock LL 4 Brad ThornTP 3 Owen Franks HK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Tony WoodcockReplacements:HK 16Andrew Hore PR 17John Afoa LK 18Ali Williams N8 19Victor Vito SH 20Jimmy Cowan FH 21Aaron Cruden FB 22Isaia Toeava Coach: Graham Henry FB 15Martín Rodríguez RW 14Gonzalo CamachoOC 13Marcelo BoschIC 12Felipe Contepomi (c)LW 11Horacio Agulla FH 10Santiago FernándezSH 9 Nicolás Vergallo N8 8 Leonardo SenatoreOF 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón BF 6 Julio Farías CabelloRL 5 Patricio Albacete LL 4 Manuel Carizza TP 3 Juan Figallo HK 2 Mario Ledesma LP 1 Rodrigo Roncero Replacements:HK 16Agustín Creevy PR 17Martín Scelzo PR 18Marcos Ayerza FL 19Alejandro Campos SH 20Alfredo Lalanne FB 21Lucas González Amorosino WG 22Juan Imhoff Coach: Santiago Phelan Man of the Match: Piri Weepu (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) George Clancy (Ireland) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Notes This was New Zealand fullback Mils Muliaina's 100th test, the second New Zealand player to have reached this milestone.
Semi-finals
Wales vs France
FB 15Leigh HalfpennyRW 14George NorthOC 13Jonathan DaviesIC 12Jamie RobertsLW 11Shane WilliamsFH 10James Hook SH 9 Mike PhillipsN8 8 Taulupe FaletauOF 7 Sam Warburton (c) BF 6 Dan Lydiate RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones LL 4 Luke CharterisTP 3 Adam Jones HK 2 Huw BennettLP 1 Gethin JenkinsReplacements:HK 16Lloyd BurnsPR 17Paul James LK 18Bradley Davies FK 19Ryan Jones SH 20Lloyd WilliamsFH 21Stephen Jones CE 22Scott WilliamsCoach: Warren Gatland FB 15Maxime MédardRW 14Vincent ClercOC 13Aurélien RougerieIC 12Maxime MermozLW 11Alexis PalissonFH 10Morgan ParraSH 9 Dimitri YachviliN8 8 Imanol Harinordoquy OF 7 Julien Bonnaire BF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c)RL 5 Lionel NalletLL 4 Pascal Papé TP 3 Nicolas MasHK 2 William Servat LP 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux Replacements:HK 16Dimitri Szarzewski PR 17Fabien Barcella LK 18Julien Pierre FL 19Fulgence Ouedraogo FH 20François Trinh-DucFH 21Jean-Marc DoussainFB 22Cédric HeymansCoach: Marc Lièvremont Man of the Match: Julien Bonnaire (France)
Touch judges: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) Wayne Barnes (England) Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Notes The Welsh captain was sent off after committing a tip-tackle, releasing the opponent past the horizontal off the ground in the 18th minute.
Australia vs New Zealand
FB 15Adam Ashley-CooperRW 14James O'ConnorOC 13Anthony Fainga'a IC 12Pat McCabe LW 11Digby IoaneFH 10Quade CooperSH 9 Will GeniaN8 8 Radike Samo OF 7 David Pocock BF 6 Rocky ElsomRL 5 James Horwill (c)LL 4 Dan Vickerman TP 3 Ben AlexanderHK 2 Stephen Moore LP 1 Sekope Kepu Replacements:HK 16Tatafu Polota-Nau PR 17James Slipper LK 18Rob Simmons N8 19Ben McCalman SH 20Luke BurgessFH 21Berrick Barnes CE 22Rob Horne Coach: Robbie Deans FB 15Israel DaggRW 14Cory JaneOC 13Conrad SmithIC 12Ma'a Nonu LW 11Richard KahuiFH 10Aaron Cruden SH 9 Piri Weepu N8 8 Kieran Read OF 7 Richie McCaw (c)BF 6 Jerome Kaino RL 5 Sam Whitelock LL 4 Brad ThornTP 3 Owen Franks HK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Tony WoodcockReplacements:HK 16Andrew Hore PR 17Ben Franks LK 18Ali Williams N8 19Victor Vito SH 20Andy Ellis FH 21Stephen DonaldCE 22Sonny Bill Williams Coach: Graham Henry Man of the Match: Cory Jane (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales) Romain Poite (France) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Bronze final Wales vs Australia
FB 15Leigh HalfpennyRW 14George North OC 13Jonathan Davies IC 12Jamie RobertsLW 11Shane WilliamsFH 10James Hook SH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Ryan JonesOF 7 Taulupe FaletauBF 6 Dan Lydiate RL 5 Bradley DaviesLL 4 Luke Charteris TP 3 Paul James HK 2 Huw Bennett LP 1 Gethin Jenkins (c)Replacements:HK 16Lloyd Burns PR 17Ryan Bevington LK 18Alun Wyn Jones N8 19Andy Powell SH 20Lloyd Williams FH 21Stephen Jones CE 22Scott Williams Coach: Warren Gatland FB 15Kurtley Beale RW 14James O'ConnorOC 13Adam Ashley-CooperIC 12Berrick BarnesLW 11Digby IoaneFH 10Quade Cooper SH 9 Will Genia N8 8 Ben McCalmanOF 7 David Pocock BF 6 Scott Higginbotham RL 5 Nathan Sharpe LL 4 James Horwill (c) TP 3 Salesi Ma'afu HK 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau LP 1 James SlipperReplacements:HK 16Saia Fainga'a PR 17Ben Alexander LK 18Rob Simmons N8 19Radike Samo SH 20Luke Burgess CE 21Anthony Fainga'a CE 22Rob Horne Coach: Robbie Deans Man of the Match: Berrick Barnes (Australia)
Touch judges: Romain Poite (France) George Clancy (Ireland) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Notes This was Australian lock Nathan Sharpe's 100th test, the fifth Australian to reach the milestone.
Final France vs New Zealand
FB 15Maxime Médard RW 14Vincent Clerc OC 13Aurélien RougerieIC 12Maxime MermozLW 11Alexis PalissonFH 10Morgan Parra SH 9 Dimitri Yachvili N8 8 Imanol HarinordoquyOF 7 Julien BonnaireBF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c)RL 5 Lionel NalletLL 4 Pascal Papé TP 3 Nicolas MasHK 2 William Servat LP 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux Replacements:HK 16Dimitri Szarzewski PR 17Fabien Barcella LK 18Julien Pierre FL 19Fulgence OuedraogoFH 20Jean-Marc Doussain FH 21François Trinh-Duc FB 22Damien Traille Coach: Marc Lièvremont FB 15Israel DaggRW 14Cory JaneOC 13Conrad SmithIC 12Ma'a Nonu LW 11Richard KahuiFH 10Aaron Cruden SH 9 Piri Weepu N8 8 Kieran ReadOF 7 Richie McCaw (c)BF 6 Jerome KainoRL 5 Sam Whitelock LL 4 Brad ThornTP 3 Owen FranksHK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Tony WoodcockReplacements:HK 16Andrew Hore PR 17Ben FranksLK 18Ali Williams FL 19Adam ThomsonSH 20Andy Ellis FH 21Stephen Donald CE 22Sonny Bill Williams Coach: Graham Henry Man of the Match: Thierry Dusautoir (France)
Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland) Nigel Owens (Wales) Television match official: Giulio de Santis (Italy)
References