The 2003 RWC draw has been made with holders Australia, drawn in Pool A along with Argentina, in a group that may also include Ireland (Europe 1)
Australia open the competition with a game against Argentina in Stadium Australia on Friday 10th October with the fin
Pool structure:
Pool A – Australia, Argentina, Europe 1, Europe 4, Africa 1
Pool B – France, Scotland, Oceania 1, Asia 1, Repechage 1
Pool C – South Africa, England, Oceania 2, America 2, Europe 3
Pool D – New Zealand, Wales, America 1, Europe 2, Repechage 2
Pool stage fixtures: (All times local).
Friday, October 10: Australia v Argentina (Stadium Australia, 20.00).
Saturday, October 11: New Zealand v Europe 2 (Colonial Stadium, Melbourne, 14.30): France v Oceania 1 (Ballymore, Brisbane, 17.00): Europe 1 v Europe 4 (Gosford, 19.30): South Africa v America 2 (Subiaco Oval, Perth, 20.00)Sunday, October 12: Wales v America 1 (Colonial Stadium, Melbourne 18.00): Scotland v Asia 1 (Townsville, 20.00): England v Europe 3 (Perth, Subiaco Oval, 20.00).
Tuesday, October 14: Argentina v Africa 1 (Gosford, 19.30).
Wednesday, October 15: Oceania 1 v Repechage 1 (Brisbane, Ballymore, 17.00): Europe 2 v Repechage 2 (Canberra, Canberra Stadium, 19.30): Oceania 2 v America 2 (Perth, Subiaco Oval, 20.00).
Friday, October 17:
New Zealand v America 1 (Melbourne, Colonial Stadium, 19.30).
Saturday, October 18: Australia v Europe 4 (Brisbane, Suncorp Metway Stadium, 16.30): France v Asia 1 (Townsville, 19.00): South Africa v England (Perth, Subiaco Oval, 20.00).
Sunday, October 19: Wales v Repechage 2 (Canberra, Canberra Stadium, 18.00): Europe 1 v Africa 1 (Sydney, Aussie Stadium, 20.00): Europe 3 v Oceania 2 (Perth, Subiaco Oval, 20.00).
Monday, October 20: Scotland v Repechage 1 (Brisbane, Ballymore, 19.30).
Tuesday, October 21: Europe 2 v America 1 (Canberra, Canberra Stadium, 19.30).
Wednesday, October 22: Argentina v Europe 4 (Sydney, Aussie Stadium, 20.00).
Thursday, October 23: Oceania 1 v Asia 1 (Townsville, 20.00).
Friday, October 24: New Zealand v Repechage 2 (Brisbane, Suncorp Metway Stadium, 17.30):
South Africa v Europe 3 (Sydney, Aussie Stadium, 20.00).
Saturday, October 25: Australia v Africa 1 (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, 14.30):Europe 2 v Wales (Canberra, Canberra Stadium, 18.00): France v Scotland (Sydney, Stadium Australia, 20.00).
Sunday, October 26: England v Oceania 2 (Melbourne, Colonial Stadium, 18.00): Argentina v Europe 1 (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, 20.00).
Monday, October 27:
Asia 1 v Repechage 1 (Gosford, 19.30).
Tuesday, October 28: Europe 3 v America 2 (Sydney, Aussie Stadium, 19.30):
Wednesday, October 29: America 1 v Repechage 2 (Wollongong, Wollongong Stadium, 19.30).
Thursday, October 30: Europe 4 v Africa 1 (Launceston, York Park, 20.00).
Friday, October 31: France v Repechage 1 (Wollongong, Wollongong Stadium, 19.30).
Saturday, November 1: Scotland v Oceania 1 (Sydney, Aussie Stadium, 15.00): South Africa v Oceania 2 (Brisbane, Balymore, 17.00):
Australia v Europe 1 (Melbourne, Colonial Stadium, 20.30).
Sunday, November 2: England v America 2 (Brisbane, Ballymore, 17.00): New Zealand v Wales (Sydney, Stadium Australia, 20.30).
Saturday, November 8: Quarter-final 1: Winner D v Runner-up C (Melbourne, Colonial Stadium, 18.30)
Quarter-final 2: Winner A v Runner-up B (Brisbane, Suncorp Metway, 20.00).
Sunday, November 9:
Quarter-final 3: Winner B v Runner-up A (Melbourne, Colonial Stadium, 18.30): Quarter-final 4: Winner C v Runner-up D (Brisbane, Suncorp Metway, 20.00).
Saturday, November 15: Semi-final 1: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF2 (Sydney, Stadium Australia, 20.00).
Sunday, November 16: Semi-final 2: Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4 (Sydney, Stadium Australia, 20.00).
Thursday, November 20: Third-place play-off: (Sydney, Stadium Australia, 20.00).
Saturday, November 22: World Cup Final (Sydney, Stadium Australia, 20.00)
Rugby World Cup 2003 finals matches will be played in ten Australian cities using twelve different venues.All Australian states and territories, excluding the Northern Territory, will host matches while additional matches will be played in the major regional centres of Gosford on the NSW Central Coast, Wollongong south of Sydney, Townsville in north Queensland and Launceston in northern Tasmania.
Ballymore, home of the Queensland Reds, is the only Australian Rugby World Cup 1987 venue to host Rugby World Cup 2003 fixtures.
Stadium Australia and Aussie Stadium will be the two Sydney match venues while Suncorp Stadium will be used in addition to Ballymore in Brisbane.
While representative fixtures against touring teams have previously been played in Townsville, Gosford and Adelaide, it is the first time each centre has hosted a full international match. Launceston has never hosted a major rugby match.
Rugby World Cup holder, Australia, will play its first ever full international match at Adelaide Oval when it is opposed by the African qualifier on Saturday, October 25th.
Colonial Stadium, the scene for the second Test between the Wallabies and the British Lions last year, will host seven matches including two All Black fixtures, Wales and England, plus Australia’s final pool match with Europe 1 (Ireland ?) plus two quarter finals.
Australian Rugby Union Chief Executive Officer, Mr John O’Neill, said he was excited Rugby World Cup 2003 allowed matches to be played around the country – particularly in Gosford and Townsville.
“Gosford and Townsville have successfully hosted matches against touring teams over the years including the tour by the British Lions last year,” said Mr O’Neill. “NorthPower Stadium and Dairy Farmers Stadium are both first class football venues and the respective Gosford and Townsville communities have strongly supported international matches.”
“Importantly, key infrastructure such as tourism features, hotels and transport links can support these cities in accommodating Cup matches. We have also added Wollongong while the truly national spread is furthered with Launceston hosting its first major rugby fixture
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