Deal threat to Wilkinson's test future

England first five-eighths Jonny Wilkinson has signed a contract extension with French Top 14 club Toulon for a further season with an option for a second - a move which could spell the end of his international career.
The 86-times-capped 31-year-old, with 1178 international points to his name, will continue playing for the southern French outfit until 2013.
Wilkinson, whose extra-time drop-goal won the 2003 World Cup for England, arrived at Toulon in the northern summer of 2009 from Newcastle and scored 302 points in his first season in France. This season he is the top scorer in the French league with 169 points.
However, his decision to stay in France could have serious implications for his international career after the Rugby Football Union (RFU) decided to select players from domestic clubs after the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
His only escape route would be if the RFU activated its get-out "exceptional circumstances" clause.

"I can understand where they [the RFU] are coming from," said Wilkinson recently.
"For me, my main aim is to keep getting better and I made a move [to Toulon] a year and a half ago to try to continue to do that.
"I am happy where I am, it fits the bill for me. I am enjoying the experience and I'm learning a hell of a lot. I owe a lot to these guys."

Ali Williams laces up his boots

All Blacks lock Ali Williams is preparing to make his return to the playing field after arriving at his new temporary home in Nottingham.

Williams missed all of the 2010 season in New Zealand after rupturing his Achilles tendon for the second time and is hoping a short stint in England's second division get help him get him back up to speed ahead of the upcoming Super Rugby season.

The 29-year-old is set to play up to four games for the side as he attempts his recovery ahead of the Super 15 season in New Zealand and is eager to get back on the park.

"Already I can tell this is a great home stadium and I'm looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere in some key games in January," Williams told the Nottingham club website.

"It was really good to meet up with the squad yesterday evening and I'm sure I'll fit in well.

"I can't wait to get my boots back on and try and make a real impact for Nottingham," he said.

Nottingham have two crucial games in the time Williams is with them, against former Premiership side Bristol on January 9 and another with Munster on January 14.

Nottingham chief executive Glenn Delaney said Williams' presence would be a boost for the side.

"We had some good momentum which was halted by the snow, but with the boost of having Ali we know we [can] reproduce the same levels of quality and continue our three-match winning run," he said.

Quins banish Exiles at HQ

London Irish's crisis deepened as they crashed to their eighth straight defeat with a 28-18 loss to Harlequins at Twickenham on Monday.

Both sides appeared a little short on confidence for much of the match before it finally burst into life approaching the final quarter.

The first half descended into little more than a penalty trade-off as cynical play by the London Irish pack saw them repeatedly kill the ball at the breakdown.

The Exiles conceded 10 penalties to Quins' four during 40 first half minutes that stifled any promise the game showed of finding a spark.

They were much improved in the second half but Quins seemed to lose their own composure - conceding eight penalties to Irish's three - and looked in danger of letting Irish in until outside centre George Lowe sealed the win with a try 12 minutes from time.

Harlequins opened the scoring after five minutes when Nick Evans struck a simple penalty from under the sticks following some good pressure in the Exiles' 22.

Quins went perilously close minutes later when Tom Williams intercepted deep inside his own territory and set off on a magnificent break up the left touchline.

Bob Skinstad's "Tiki Tour" of New Zealand

Former Springbok and Rugby commentator Bob Skinstad was in New Zealand during 2010 to explore some of the exciting things that Rugby fans can do while in New Zealand next year for Rugby World Cup 2011. Follow him as he visits Northland, Auckland and Queenstown. Double click the video to watch it in full screen.

NORTHLAND

Bob tours north of Auckland to the gorgeous Bay of Islands scouting out some of the exciting activities for supporters during RWC 2011; fishing for snapper, golf and scenic flights.

AUCKLAND

Bob visits Auckland to scout out exciting activities for supporters during RWC 2011. His visit includes sailing, bungy jumping and a visit to North Harbour Stadium.

Pacific teams on course for 2011 and beyond

Excellent results by the Pacific Island teams in Europe in November have confirmed they are on track for RWC 2011...

Fiji, Samoa and Tonga all completed excellent European tours which have set up some mouth-watering RWC 2011 clashes. Tonga beat Italy A and a French Barbarians team featuring a host of international stars. Fiji’s tour was highlighted by a 16-all draw with RWC 2011 Pool D rivals Wales while Samoa’s extended tour started by beating Japan in Tokyo before falling narrowly to Ireland, England and Scotland.

This capped a memorable year for Samoan Rugby with a first ever series title in the IRB Sevens World Series followed by adding the 2010 ANZ Pacific Nations Cup title to the trophy cabinet.

Progress off the field in Samoa has mirrored recent results on it. Earlier this month the construction of the Samoa Rugby Union’s (SRU) High Performance Facility started at Faleata with a special ground-breaking ceremony.

The state-of-the-art facility will feature a High Performance gym, recovery and rehabilitation centre, four new training pitches, accommodation for up to 90 athletes and a dedicated administration centre for SRU staff. Construction is expected to be completed well ahead of Samoa’s RWC 2011 preparation camp in August.

The project is underwritten by IRB funding through strategic investments aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the global Game. The IRB has contributed over $2 million to the project, which has been made possible through the donation of 36 hectares of land by the Samoan Government.

Fiji’s draw in Cardiff reminded everyone how close Pool D will be next year. With the World Champions South Africa joining Wales, Fiji and Samoa, the group features four of the top 11 teams in the current IRB World Rankings. Namibia completes the group having qualified as Africa 1.

The Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) provides a competitive annual competition for the Pacific Island teams. Fiji and Samoa will use the 2011 tournament to fine tune preparations for Pool D while Tonga and Japan will seek a competitive edge ahead of their clash in RWC 2011 Pool A, a pool also including New Zealand, France and Canada.

Japan will host the sixth IRB Pacific Nations Cup in 2011 between July 2-13, with all matches being held at Tokyo’s Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground. The tournament also provides another valuable step in Japan’s preparations to host an outstanding RWC 2019, following the exceptional 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in the same city. With half of the PNC matches this year being decided by less than three points it promises to be an intriguing guide to RWC 2011 form.

RTÉ Sport awarded Irish free-to-air rights

Rugby World Cup Limited has announced the appointment of RTÉ Sport as Ireland’s free-to-air television broadcast rights holders for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

The announcement is another major boost for Rugby fans in Ireland, following the appointment of Setanta Sports as Primary Rights Holder and ensuring that there will be extensive coverage of the world’s third largest sports event within the Republic.

RTÉ Sport will broadcast live 13 key matches, including all of Ireland’s Pool matches, the Final, the Bronze Final, both semi-finals, all four quarter-finals and the opening match. All 13 matches will also be simulcast and available for catch-up on RTÉ.ie. In addition, all of Ireland’s games will be broadcast exclusively live on RTÉ Radio, ensuring a blanket multi-platform approach.

Mike Miller, Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) Managing Director, said: “RWCL is delighted to be extending its association with RTÉ Sport to broadcast Rugby World Cup 2011 throughout Ireland. RTÉ is recognised as a leading broadcaster of quality sports coverage and with its extensive broadcast experience of Rugby and commitment to the Game RTÉ will ensure the perfect platform for RWC 2011 to reach out to an extensive audience across Ireland.”

Ryle Nugent, RTÉ Group Head of Sport, said: "We are delighted to have secured these rights to ensure that the Irish public will enjoy live free-to-air coverage of all of Ireland’s games at Rugby World Cup next year. The Tournament showcases the best teams in the world and fans can look forward to following the Irish team’s progression every step of the way on all of RTÉ’s platforms. The awarding of these rights to RTÉ is recognition by RWCL of the quality of our sports coverage and we look forward to sharing what is set to be a momentous sporting occasion with the Irish public.”

Rugby World Cup 2011, the seventh edition of Rugby’s showcase event, kicks off in New Zealand on September 9 and will feature the top 20 teams in the world competing across 48 Tournament matches. The Final will be played on October 23 at Auckland's iconic Eden Park. It is expected that the Tournament will be broadcast to four billion fans worldwide.

New Zealand's biggest festival keeps growing

New Zealand will celebrate its role as host of RWC 2011 by staging the biggest nationwide festival the country has ever seen...

The REAL New Zealand Festival will run from September 9 to October 23, and will complement the match and team hosting schedule for RWC 2011. But it will go well beyond the 23 centres hosting teams and matches, and will include every part of the country.

Festival Director, Briony Ellis, says the Festival will include events and attractions all over the country which showcase New Zealand’s arts, food and wine, heritage, culture, entertainment, industries and business, experiences and lifestyle – including our abiding passion for Rugby.

“We’ve called it ‘REAL’ because the programme for the festival celebrates the aspects of living in New Zealand that Kiwis are most proud of – the experiences that present the real New Zealand, and events that showcase our people, landscapes, languages, culture and stories”.

“There’ll be plenty of time between matches so we want to encourage people to take the long way around from one match to the next and really see the country and meet the people.”

TWENTY11 Newsletter Christmas edition out now

Merry Christmas from TWENTY11 - the official newsletter of RWC 2011.

In this issue:

• CEO Martin Snedden looks back on a year of solid preparation
• Bob Skinstad's "Tiki Tour" of New Zealand
• See how New Zealand's biggest festival keeps on growing
• Pacific teams on course for RWC 2011 and beyond

RWC 2011 event preparations well on track

Tournament organisers for Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) today confirmed that key match ticket sales and revenue targets have been achieved for 2010 and that international visitors will number 85,000 at least.

In addition the organising body Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011) and the event owners Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) have today both indicated that they are pleased with overall preparations to date as New Zealanders gear up to deliver the largest event ever hosted in the country.

“This is a very good position to be in with 267 days to go until kick-off,” said RNZ 2011 CEO Martin Snedden. “We still have a lot left to do, but event preparations, coupled with ticket sales to date and strong international visitorship projections, mean we are getting ourselves in good shape to host the Tournament.

“Since the ticket sales programmes were launched earlier this year a total of 864,000 tickets have now been sold, taking us to just short of two-thirds of our overall target of around 1.45 million sales across the 48 matches.”

This includes 662,000 sold through RNZ 2011’s global public ticket phases. Ticket sales revenue across all programmes to date currently totals NZD$166m (excl GST).

“We are on track to achieve the forecast total ticket sales revenue of NZD$268m. We knew this NZD$268m sales target was always going to be a big leap into the unknown given that the biggest grossing event previously in New Zealand’s history was the 2005 Lions tour during which the NZRU grossed NZD$24m from ticket sales.

“We’ve now achieved seven times that figure. In the end, we’ll need to do eleven times that amount to hit budget.”

In addition, the Official Travel and Hospitality Programme is tracking strongly, with sales to date exceeding initial forecasts.

RNZ 2011 today also released the key results of a survey of ticket purchasers carried out by independent research company Covec. During November Covec surveyed all of those who had purchased tickets by the end of October 2010 from RNZ 2011 through its global sales process. The response rate was 30%, providing a strong credible base for analysis.

“The survey results are great news for New Zealand and for our tourism industry. This is reliable evidence that we can expect at least 55,000 international visitors from sales to date in our public ticket programme, in addition to the 30,000 plus visitors who we know will come through packages sold by the Official Travel Agents operating worldwide.

“Attracting visitors is a key part of the benefits of staging a Rugby World Cup. It’s terrific that 44% of these FIT (free and independent travellers) visitors will be coming to New Zealand for the first time. Furthermore, almost half of those surveyed have indicated an intention to arrive before the opening match on September 9 with the average length of FIT stay being 23 days.

“Many intend travelling right around the country. While the bulk of visitors (36,500) expect at some stage to visit Auckland, at least 11,000 say they will also travel down the West Coast of the South Island and 18,000 to Otago and Southland. Regions up and down New Zealand will benefit.

“These survey results also auger well for the REAL New Zealand Festival. All of us involved in supporting the Festival preparations have been encouraging visitors to ‘take the long way round’ the country and to really enjoy the host of uniquely New Zealand events that will be happening right across the country so these numbers underline the great opportunity for our regions to really turn it on for visitors.”

Rugby World Cup Limited Managing Director Mike Miller, in New Zealand to check on progress at Stadium Christchurch and the new state-of-the-art Otago Stadium, underscored RWCL’s confidence that overall Tournament preparations are right on track.

Something old and something new for Ireland

Ahead of this weekend’s crunch game against England, Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has called up experienced full-back Geordan Murphy and promising number 10 Jonathan Sexton, in his team’s bid to bounce back from a disappointing 33-10 defeat against the French two weeks ago. Also returning to the fold is Munster second row Donncha O’Callaghan, who having spent a month on the sidelines is fit enough to replace Leo Cullen. The only enforced change for Ireland is Ulster hooker Rory Best, who comes in for the banned Jerry Flannery. Flannery is facing a six week ban for his flying karate kick on France winger Alexis Palisson, which would end his tournament if his optimistic appeal fails.
When considering your Six Nations Free Bet, it should be pointed out England go into the match as narrow favourites over Ireland. Despite winning impressively against Wales and less impressively against Italy in their opening two games, Martin Johnson’s team have come under intense criticism from all directions for their performances. Jonny Wilkinson has been the focal point of debate after his poor display in Rome, but has been backed by his manager and retains his place in the unchanged England team.
Ireland will be desperate to prove they are still challengers for the title after being outplayed against the French, and will be hoping three cap Sexton will handle the inevitable pressure he will face at Twickenham. Dropping the proven and reliable Ronan O’Gara is a gamble but coach Kidney has stated he sees 24yr old Sexton as the future Ireland fly-half and is confident in his choice.

Lions Test Team Announced

So here we have the first test Match day 22 of the 3 match test series for the Lions of 2009. The Lions will take on the Springboks in Durban This Saturday
15. Lee Byrne (Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
13. Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
12. Jamie Roberts (Wales)
11. Ugo Monye (England)
10. Stephen Jones (Wales)
9. Mike Phillips (Wales)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
7. David Wallace (Ireland)
6. Tom Croft (England)
5. Paul O’Connell (Ireland) C
4. Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)
3. Phil Vickery (England)
2. Lee Mears (England)
1. Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
Replacements:
16. Matthew Rees (Wales)
17. Adam Jones (Wales)
18. Donncha O’Callaghan (Ireland)
19. Martyn Williams (Wales)
20. Harry Ellis (England)
21. Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
22. Rob Kearney (Ireland)

IRB statement on Jock Hobbs

The International Rugby Board is saddened to learn that Jock Hobbs has stepped down from his position as Chairman of both the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and Rugby New Zealand (RNZ) 2011 Limited due to ill health.

Hobbs was elected Chairman of the NZRU in 2002 and has served with distinction, overseeing considerable success on and off the pitch while securing New Zealand the right to host Rugby World Cup 2011.

“Jock's contribution to New Zealand Rugby as Chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union and to world Rugby as an IRB Council Member has been considerable," said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

"Amongst numerous highlights to date he provided the vision and leadership that secured New Zealand the right to host Rugby World Cup 2011 and as Chairman of RNZ 2011 those qualities have underpinned planning and preparation that is on track and on target to deliver an exceptional tournament."

"While Jock will no longer be hands on in the day to day delivery of the tournament, his legacy remains strong and I am sure that his dedication will be rewarded with a tournament that will write another successful chapter in the Rugby World Cup success story and an event that all New Zealanders can be proud of."

“On behalf of the International Rugby Board and the global Rugby family, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Jock for his immense contribution to global Rugby and I would also like to extend our very best wishes and support during this difficult time."

Team Managers gather for Tournament overview

Team managers from the twenty participating nations were greeted with a powhiri [Maori welcome] as they gathered at New Zealand House in London this week to for a detailed overview of preparations for next year’s Tournament.

While the city was in the grip of a heavy snowfall, inside, the managers got down to work amidst backdrops of New Zealand’s scenic beauty to remind them of how different their surroundings will be in just over nine months time.

Managers included representatives of the newly qualified Romanian team which clinched the final berth at Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) after defeating Uruguay on the weekend in Bucharest.

They were welcomed by International Rugby Board (IRB) CEO Mike Miller, Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011) CEO Martin Snedden, and Rugby World Cup Tournament Director Kit McConnell.

“It was a really valuable day and a half,” said McConnell. “We had a great mix of veterans who have been team managers for nearly a decade now or in some cases up to 15 years, along with some who were new to the job and in fact aren’t even starting until the New Year. So it was a real mix of personalities and experience.”

Managers were taken through various aspects of the Tournament preparations including security, medical, anti-doping, match officials and communications.

“We were able to provide an in-depth look inside our preparations and give them the sort of reassurance they need now that we are well under 300 days to kick-off,” said Nigel Cass, General Manager Tournament Services for RNZ 2011.

“The general view is that our plans are well developed and the services they are going to get at the Tournament will be first rate.”

November TWENTY11 Newsletter out now!

The November edition of TWENTY11 - the official newsletter of RWC 2011 – is out now!

In this issue:

• Romania and Uruguay battle for the final qualification spot
• NZRU looks at long-term legacy for RWC 2011
• CEO Column: Marking five years of progress
• RWC 2011 Team managers converge on London

RTH awarded RWC 2015 and 2019 contract

Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) has awarded the contract to exclusively create, implement and market the official corporate hospitality and travel programmes for Rugby World Cup 2015 and 2019 to Rugby Travel & Hospitality (RTH) Limited.

RTH, a joint venture between Sodexo UK and the Mike Burton Group, managed the delivery of the award-winning official travel and hospitality programmes for Rugby World Cup 2007 in France, achieving record sales figures.

RTH is also managing the delivery of the official programmes for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand and with just over a year to go sales are ahead of target.

Bernard Lapasset, Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman, said: "We are delighted to be extending our excellent partnership with RTH through to Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan. The company has vast operational experience, a highly professional and innovative approach and is globally renowned for delivering exceptional travel and hospitality programmes."

"The commercial ticketing programme has been one of the major success stories for Rugby World Cup, enhancing the tournament experience for hundreds of thousands of Rugby fans from all around the world and contributing massively to the global development of the Game."

Andrew Burton, Chief Executive of the Mike Burton Group and RTH, said: "We are very excited about this fantastic opportunity to extend our association with Rugby World Cup. The decision to award the contract for two Tournaments is testament to the dedication, hard work and professionalism of the team. This is a prime contract and will help us deliver on our corporate objectives whilst benefiting the Game of Rugby around the world."

A market leader in the delivery of world class travel and hospitality programmes for major sports events, RTH is also part of the group that will create, implement and deliver the exclusive in-venue official prestige ticketing programme for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London.

Under the agreement, RTH will also manage the in-stadia private hospitality catering.

RTH will establish offices in London in 2012 to plan and deliver the RWC 2015 travel and hospitality programmes before moving to Tokyo in preparation for Rugby World Cup 2019.

DHL appointed RWC 2011 Worldwide Partner

Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) has announced the appointment of DHL Express as a Worldwide Partner for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

A global market leader in the international express and logistics industry, the announcement represents the first time that Deutsche Post-owned DHL has partnered with Rugby's showcase Tournament.

Under the deal, DHL will perform the key roles of in-tournament ticket distribution and express freight logistics for the 20 participating teams, including equipment transportation. The agreement will also see DHL partner with the International Rugby Board as international express shipments partner.

Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Rugby World Cup Limited is delighted to announce that DHL has joined the family of Worldwide Partners supporting Rugby World Cup 2011. The appointment of a globally renowned brand and a world leader in the logistics industry further underscores Rugby World Cup's considerable global prestige and appeal."

Land Rover joins RWC sponsorship inventory

Rugby World Cup Limited has announced the appointment of Land Rover as an Official Sponsor of Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand and a top-level Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2015 in England.

Land Rover’s support of both tournaments extends the company’s strong association with the Game worldwide. In addition to sponsorship of the last three British & Irish Lions Tours to South Africa, New Zealand and Australia and sponsorship of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, Land Rover has also enhanced its role of Official Vehicle of England Rugby, Premiership Rugby and the UK’s Land Rover Premiership Cup in recent years.

As part of the deal for RWC 2011 and RWC 2015, Land Rover will supply vehicles to support the organisers, teams and officials. It is the first time that the leading car manufacturer has been involved with Rugby’s showcase tournament.

Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Land Rover to the Rugby World Cup family. This long-term partnership with an internationally recognisable brand further enhances the enormous prestige and attraction of Rugby World Cup in the global market place.”

“Land Rover is a true champion of Rugby from community to elite level and we look forward to working closely with Land Rover to promote Rugby around the world across two tournaments that will position Rugby in new markets around the world, reaching out to new communities and audiences.”

John Edwards, Global Brand Director, Land Rover, added: “Today’s announcement marks a significant development in the partnership between Land Rover and Rugby. The Company is proud of its ongoing support of the sport from a grassroots level to the elite Game and it is fitting that the world’s finest all-terrain vehicles - sold in over 160 markets worldwide - are now supporting the world’s ultimate Rugby competition.”

“The International Olympic Committee’s decision to include Rugby in the Olympic Games from 2016 will have a hugely significant impact on the growth of the sport in emerging Rugby markets such as America, China and Asia. This global growth is also shown by the IRB’s decisions to host RWC Sevens 2013 in Russia and RWC 2019 in Japan.”

Romania win final Rugby World cup place

Romania have become the 20th and final qualifier for Rugby World Cup 2011 after overcoming Uruguay 39-12 before a passionate and vocal home crowd at the stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest on Saturday.
The two sides had been locked at 21-21 after the first leg in Montevideo a fortnight ago, but Romania produced an impressive display to take their place in New Zealand alongside Argentina, England, Scotland and Georgia in Pool B.
The perfect script had been set for the 184th and final qualifier of a process that began back in April 2008, but Romania were determined to preserve their ever present record on the Rugby World Cup stage and make their experience count.
Two thousand additional seats had been added to the intimate Bucharest venue for this winner takes all qualifier and the atmosphere was understandably electric before kick-off with a huge cheer greeting the home side as they ran out to warm up.

Northern rugby World Cup hopes swept away

Those hoping for only a second northern hemisphere victory in the rugby World Cup next year will, on the basis of what transpired in the now concluded autumn test matches, travel more in hope than expectation.
French travel agents will be fearing the backlash after the high of the Six Nations Grand Slam earlier in the year raised genuine optimism for at last lifting the Webb Ellis trophy in New Zealand next October.
That sentiment has now been replaced with deep pessimism as they ended the year with a 59-16 drubbing by Australia.
Head coach Marc Lievremont looked shellshocked and was right to do so as his side succumbed to a second drubbing in a matter of months - having gone down 41-13 to Argentina in Buenos Aires in June.
However, the 42-year-old insisted that he would not step away from the job and would battle to set matters right with the two-time World Cup finalists.
"I take full responsibility for this failure but I repeat, I am hungry to carry on," said the former France backrow forward, who played in the 1999 World Cup final defeat to Australia.
"I am not sure that Pierre, Paul or Jacques could do better, even if they did it differently.
"I'm still convinced that we are going about things the right way in terms of management, managing the squad, and strategy."
Their predecessors as Grand Slam champions Ireland also have proved no great advertisement for winning the prestigious title and look old and tired though they rounded off their campaign with victory over an old nemesis Argentina - the 2007 semi-finalists looking as if their best years are behind them.
Despite this Irish coach Declan Kidney saw an encouraging picture developing.
"We'd a number of objectives, one was to build a squad, and after a four games series, we saw today everybody buying into it," said Kidney, who nevertheless admitted there was a lot of work to do.

Romania secures final place in New Zealand

Romania has been confirmed as the 20th and final team to qualify for Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) after defeating Uruguay in the second leg of the last qualifying round in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.

Romania won 39-12 in a winner take all final match at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf.

This followed the exciting drawn first leg encounter in Montevideo on November 13 when the home team came from behind to snatch a draw.

Romania has now qualified for all seven Tournaments.

As Play-off Winner they will compete in Pool B against England, Argentina, Scotland and Georgia.

“We are thrilled for Romania,” said Martin Snedden, CEO for Tournament Organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011.

“It’s been a long hard road for both teams, with their qualification journey having started in 2008, but sadly there can only be one winner.”

Confirmation of the Play-off Winner brings to an end the qualification rounds for RWC 2011 which involved 184 matches and 80 nations across five continents.

Romania (“the Oaks”) has recorded one victory at a previous Rugby World Cup, edging out Fiji 17-15 in 1991 and has long been a strong competitor outside the Six Nations.

“I am sure Romania will be a tough opponent being an experienced campaigner at this level.”

Land Rover joins RWC sponsorship inventory

Rugby World Cup Limited has announced the appointment of Land Rover as an Official Sponsor of Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand and a top-level Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2015 in England.

Land Rover’s support of both tournaments extends the company’s strong association with the Game worldwide. In addition to sponsorship of the last three British & Irish Lions Tours to South Africa, New Zealand and Australia and sponsorship of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, Land Rover has also enhanced its role of Official Vehicle of England Rugby, Premiership Rugby and the UK’s Land Rover Premiership Cup in recent years.

As part of the deal for RWC 2011 and RWC 2015, Land Rover will supply vehicles to support the organisers, teams and officials. It is the first time that the leading car manufacturer has been involved with Rugby’s showcase tournament.

Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Land Rover to the Rugby World Cup family. This long-term partnership with an internationally recognisable brand further enhances the enormous prestige and attraction of Rugby World Cup in the global market place.”

“Land Rover is a true champion of Rugbhttp://www.soldoutticketmarket.com/sports-tickets/rugby-tickets/rugby-world-cup-tickets/y from community to elite level and we look forward to working closely with Land Rover to promote Rugby around the world across two tournaments that will position Rugby in new markets around the world, reaching out to new communities and audiences.”

John Edwards, Global Brand Director, Land Rover, added: “Today’s announcement marks a significant development in the partnership between Land Rover and Rugby. The Company is proud of its ongoing support of the sport from a grassroots level to the elite Game and it is fitting that the world’s finest all-terrain vehicles - sold in over 160 markets worldwide - are now supporting the world’s ultimate Rugby competition.”

“The International Olympic Committee’s decision to include Rugby in the Olympic Games from 2016 will have a hugely significant impact on the growth of the sport in emerging Rugby markets such as America, China and Asia. This global growth is also shown by the IRB’s decisions to host RWC Sevens 2013 in Russia and RWC 2019 in Japan.”

“It is exciting to be involved with the RWC and extend our partnership with Rugby in such an exciting period. The RWC 2011 and RWC 2015 deal offers Land Rover a fantastic opportunity to further engage with our customers and general sports fans across the globe.”

Commenting on Worldwide Partner status for RWC 2015 Edwards said: “We are also delighted to be confirmed as an Official Worldwide Partner for Rugby World Cup 2015. Land Rover has been a long term investor in the development of the sport in the UK, so we are extremely excited to be furthering our association to the very highest level when the Tournament returns to England.”

RWC 2011 establishes entertainment fund

Organisers of next year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand have announced that they will set up a NZ$9.5m lottery fund to support arts and entertainment linked to the tournament.

Rugby World Cup minister Murray McCully said: "During Rugby World Cup 2011, we will be staging a nationwide festival which will showcase the best of New Zealand's arts, food and wine, heritage, entertainment, experiences, and lifestyle.

"The New Zealand 2011 Festival Lottery Fund will support all sorts of community events associated with the festival. This could include everything from concerts, fairs, and exhibitions, to street markets and parades."

Anti-Rugby World Cup song campaign builds

The theme song for the Rugby World Cup marketing campaign, which organisers hope fans will sing it from the stands in 2011, was today confirmed as the Feelers' version of British band Jesus Jones' 'Right here, right now'.
Incensed over the choice of a British song to market the 2011 Rugby World Cup, entertainer and poet Gary McCormick is starting a campaign to change the song to a New Zealand one.
A cover of the Jesus Jones' song Right Here, Right Now would be performed by The Feelers, it was announced yesterday.
The Christchurch band's take on the British group's hit would be heard on advertisements for World Cup tickets, the first of which would go on public sale on April 27,
McCormick said the choice of song "reeks of all that colonialism again".
"The people of New Zealand are stumping up a couple of hundred million dollars so far and rising towards this World Cup and it's being held in New Zealand, the very least we can do is have a New Zealand song for the anthem for the World Cup...
"It's been sort of foisted upon us. It's not ours, and the very least we're entitled to hear is our song."
His preferred song was Loyal by Dave Dobbyn, which "would sound wonderful reverberating round the stands".
Loyal was used by Team New Zealand in its 2002 America's Cup campaign, and was chosen as New Zealand's greatest song ever in a 2006 survey.
Right Here, Right Now was being used in a campaign by Ford Motor Company this year, and had previously been used by Kmart, American cable channel TechTV, and a Canadian political candidate.
McCormick's intended campaign would be run through the website of radio station More FM, where he co-hosted a breakfast show.
He was aiming to create a petition which would be passed on to the Rugby World Cup organisers, but he did not believe it had a great chance of success.
Rugby World Cup 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said yesterday that he was confident the song would catch on.
"I think it is something that, come rugby World Cup time, we are going to hear people singing from the terraces, from the embankment and maybe even from the stands."
Snedden said Right Here, Right Now was chosen because it told the story of a significant moment in history, which was worldwide in its importance but also enormous for one particular country.
The song, originally released in 1990, was inspired by events that led to the end of the Cold War, including the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The lyrics include: "I was alive and I waited for this
Right here, right now, there is no other place I want to be."
Prime Minister John Key, who attend the unveiling in Auckland of the World Cup ticketing process, had no qualms about an overseas song, rather than a New Zealand one, being used, saying it was a catchy tune.
"It's an international event and sometimes using an international song that's so well known make a lot of sense," he said.
"It's a decision that the various organising bodies have made. We are going to support that and it's going to be part of the package that people will hear right around the world."

the hub of Rugby World Cup 2011

The eyes of the world will be on Auckland for the business end of RWC 2011 when Eden Park hosts the Final on 23 October as well as both semi-finals the weekend before.
The city will also host eight pool matches, including the opening match at Eden Park on 9 September.
Held every four years, RWC is the third-biggest sporting event in the world and is Auckland’s chance to showcase itself on the global stage.
The 2011 Tournament will have an estimated television audience of more than four billion people, and we expect up to 85,000 international visitors to come to New Zealand.
RWC 2011 will be held across the country over six weeks, with 20 nations taking part in the 48-game Tournament.
In Auckland you’ll see the world's finest players in action and enjoy a festival atmosphere for fans and locals alike.
We want to make sure all visitors leave our shores having enjoyed the best-ever Rugby World Cup.

Cohen backs Johnson for Rugby World Cup

England World Cup-winner Ben Cohen says that it would be "disastrous" if England team manager Martin Johnson lost his job before next year's Rugby world cup.
Saturday marks the one year before the rugby world cup final in New Zealand next year and Johnson is under pressure to get England performing.
There have been recent reports that Johnson and his coaching staff could face the sack if England do not impress in the autumn internationals which start next week at Twickenham.
Speaking about the speculation that Johnson could lose his job Cohen said: "So if they don't win these autumn internationals or do well in them, he is going to lose his job? Before the World Cup? That would be disastrous."
He added: "He is going to be there until after the World Cup, full stop. Then reassess it.
"There is no point making any changes because you are only going to make things worse. At the moment I think they are in a good place and have a good squad.
"It is non-negotiable within house that they want to win these games, but it is still not the end of the world (if they don't). It would help their confidence massively, but it is a stepping stone.
"You have got to show the effort and be willing and everything that goes with it," he told Eurosport.

Innovative Eden Park Pavilion launched

• Guaranteed Category A undercover seats to Rugby World Cup 2011
• The Eden Park Pavilion - a world-class, dedicated, luxury hospitality venue located adjacent to Eden Park Stadium
• First artist impressions revealed for the Eden Park Pavilion

Eden Park will be home to a striking, luxurious purpose built corporate hospitality venue during Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011, the Tournament Organisers have today announced.

With the clock ticking down to the one year to go milestone, Rugby Travel & Hospitality (RTH) Limited have released the first visuals of a striking temporary structure that will combine tradition with innovation giving hospitality clients a glimpse of what to expect when the Tournament kicks-off on 9 September 2011.

Eden Park Pavilion, ideally located in the shadow of Eden Park will only be a short stroll to the very best Category A undercover seats offered as part of the premium hospitality package and is a way for Rugby fans to guarantee their place at the semi-finals and Final of next year's RWC.

RTH, who won a major award for their innovative record-breaking corporate hospitality programme at RWC 2007 in France, view the Eden Park Pavilion as being the flagship of the Official Tournament Hospitality Programme.

The venue will play host to over 35,000 fans from all over the world during the Tournament, which will feature a distinctive entrance façade standing 53 metres wide by 20 metres high, blending the Official Tournament look and feel with the herringbone aspect of the RWC event mark to create a Rugby ball that will be visible from ground level or the sky.

Inside the Pavilion, fans will experience luxury and innovation through a blend of New Zealand cuisine, fine New Zealand wines and a full entertainment programme to give the venue a unique festival atmosphere. David White, Director of Operations at RTH said: "The Eden Park Pavilion is the culmination of three years of intense planning. New Zealand has never before seen a purpose built structure of this magnitude and quality."

Perfect corporate entertaining environment

Rugby World Cup Limited Chief Executive, Mike Miller, stated: "The team at RTH have unrivalled experience in the creation and delivery of outstanding, world-class hospitality facilities and delivered an award winning highly innovative hospitality programme for RWC 2007 in France. I have no doubt that the Eden Park Pavilion will raise the bar once again, providing the perfect corporate entertaining environment to rival all other major global sporting events."

Tournament Organiser, Rugby New Zealand 2011, Chief Executive, Martin Snedden believes the Eden Park Pavilion will contribute enormously to the success of the Tournament next year. "The Eden Park Pavilion is remarkable and will play a significant role in showcasing the very best of what New Zealand has to offer. We're very excited about this fantastic hospitality venue which we believe will enhance New Zealand's reputation as an outstanding destination for a global sporting event."

Henson to return next season for World cup

Wales Grand Slam star Gavin Henson has told the Ospreys that he will end his sabbattical and return to playing rugby this September - a year before Wales contest the World cup in New Zealand.
Henson has battled with injury since 2008 and and a recurring injury ruled him out of last year Lions tour of South Africa.
The injury caused Henson to become "really depressed" and he went on on unpaid leave from the Ospreys which spread fears that he would quit for good.
However his boss at the Ospreys now says that he will return for the new season.
"Gavin has been honest with me all along," Ospreys" chairman Mike Cuddy told the Daily Mail.
"He has told me he will be back next season and playing before the end of the year."
"All the injuries, especially the prolonged ones over his groin and achilles tendon, got him down.
"He took a break and now he"s feeling all the better for it."
Henson has told the Ospreys he hopes to be fully match-fit well before the end of the year which will be a boost for Wales as they have missed his creative spark and defensive organisation.
New Zealander and Wales coach Warren Gatland considers him "key to our defence and our midfield."
"I hope people don't underestimate his qualitities as a rugby player, not just his attacking ability and kicking ability but what a great defensive player he is." said Gatland.

Train Kills Japanese Rugby World Cup star

Former Japan international rugby player Yasunori Watanabe died after falling in front of a train over the weekend, police said on Monday.
Watanabe, 35, fell onto the track from a platform at the Kamakura station in the south of Tokyo and was run over by an incoming train late on Saturday.
The former flanker was capped 32 times - scoring eight tries - and played in three consecutive rugby World Cups from 1999 to 2007.

Keep Johnson for 2011 Rugby World Cup

Former England winger Rory Underwood says that England manager Martin Johnson is the right man to lead England to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
England have come under fire after winning just two of their Six Nations matches and slipping from second to third place in 2010 which has led questions being asked about Johnson and his coaching staff's credentials.
However the former England winger Underwood told BBC Sport: "I would stick with him until the World Cup.
"Hopefully we'll get things sorted out over the next 18 months and move in the right direction."
Johnson was criticised for a lack of flair in attack during the Six Nations and they went from being the top try scoring team in 2009 to scoring just six tries in five matches in the 2010 tournament.
However even though England lost they did show lots of attacking flair in their 12-10 defeat by Grand Slam champions France in Paris.
Ironically England looked convincing in the early stages and scored a try that would not have looked out of place in tournaments such as the Super14 but when the rain came down England started to struggle.
Try scorer Ben Foden and winger Chris Ashton were impressive throughout and their partnership at the back showed great potential for expansive play.

England must not write Cipriani off for world cup

England have been warned that they will be "shooting themselves in the foot" if they write Danny Cipriani off for next year's  Rugby World Cup.

Cipriani's new club the Melbourne Rebels have signed another northern hemisphere name in former Bath coach Mark Bakewell who will join Wales backrow forward Gareth Delve.

Bakewell established an impressive reputation during three years as forwards coach at the Rec and he says that more northern hemisphere players will sign for the privately-funded Melbourne club for the Super 15.

England Boss Martin Johnson told Cipriani that he will not be part of his elite player squad next season as his Super 15 commitments rule him out of next year’s Six Nations.

France's defence coach tempted by England

Grand Slam champions France's defence coach Dave Ellis says that he would be interested in working for England - but only after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Martin Johnson's back room staff have come under immense pressure after England failed to win the Six Nations again and slipped from second place to third.
Englishman Ellis has now returned to his day job at London Irish after helping France win their third Grand Slam of the decade.
Ellis who is orginally from Yorkshire and with a background in Rugby League he has been involved with France since 2000 when he was 'hired’ by former France coach Bernard Laporte.
In his time with France he has helped France reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2003 and 2007.
Having reached the Semis twice now Ellis wants to reach the final in 2011 and then admits that working with England could be tempting.

Tonga to start warm up for world cup in Europe

Tonga will start their 2011 Rugby World Cup warm up programme with two matches in Europe next month starting with Italy A.
Tonga will play Italy A and then the French Barbarians all in November next month.
The Tongan Rugby Union says the match against Italy A will take place on November the 19th and then on the 26th of November they will play the French Barbarians.
The International Rugby Board has arranged the tour through a program to help Tier 2 rugby nations prepare for next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Tonga are currently ranked 16th in the world but will open their Rugby World Cup campaign in Auckland New Zealand against New Zealand on September the 9th in the tournament opener.

One year to the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final

Saturday October the 23rd marked another important milestone in the build-up to Rugby World Cup 2011 as it was one year to the Final at Eden Park, Auckland.
"At this point next year, 46 matches would have been played and Rugby fans from around the world will be getting into a state of high excitement as they focus on which team will emerge as victors in this great contest," said Martin Snedden, CEO for Tournament Organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011.
To celebrate the milestone, the Webb Ellis Cup, the Trophy which will be at stake at the Final, will be on public display at the National Museum Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington for one day only this Saturday.
"This is a great opportunity for fans to get up close to Rugby’s greatest prize so I hope many come along to Te Papa on Saturday and get a taste of what awaits us next year.
"With just a year to the Final, we are well and truly counting down to RWC 2011. Eden Park has reopened, other stadia redevelopments are either completed or on schedule and ticket sales are promising. We are making great progress.

Four teams in hunt for final RWC place

With only one of the 20 Rugby World Cup 2011 finalists yet to be decided, the tournament line-up is four matches away from completion.
Only four teams are left in the race for the final slot in Pool B of the tournament in New Zealand and after this weekend's repechage clashes between Romania and Tunisia and Uruguay and Kazakhstan only two nations will be left in contention.
Generally the repechage matches in the final stages of the RWC qualifying process provide intriguing contests, and the two matches make no exception.
The match between Uruguay and Kazakhstan is their first ever encounter, while Romania and Tunisia have not played each other for nearly 20 years.
Kazakhstan's spectacular advance in the IRB ranking has seen them climbing to an all-time high of 26, having now deposed Korea of the Asian Union eternal runner-up tag, with the ambitious Hong Kong also left behind.
Though Uruguay, ranked 22 and former RWC contenders in 1999 and 2003 are favourites, it is not beyond the realms of probability to see Timur Mashurov and his men producing an upset in Montevideo.
Similarly, Romania, currently ranked 19, are hot favourites to prevail over Tunisia, in the 34th position in the rankings. The two nations have played each other four times, the last of which was in 1993 in Bucharest when Romania prevailed 51-0.

Cohen backs Johnson for Rugby World Cup

England World Cup-winner Ben Cohen says that it would be "disastrous" if England team manager Martin Johnson lost his job before next year's Rugby world cup.
Saturday marks the one year before the rugby world cup final in New Zealand next year and Johnson is under pressure to get England performing.
There have been recent reports that Johnson and his coaching staff could face the sack if England do not impress in the autumn internationals which start next week at Twickenham.
Speaking about the speculation that Johnson could lose his job Cohen said: "So if they don't win these autumn internationals or do well in them, he is going to lose his job? Before the Rugby  World Cup? That would be disastrous."
He added: "He is going to be there until after the World Cup, full stop. Then reassess it.
"There is no point making any changes because you are only going to make things worse. At the moment I think they are in a good place and have a good squad.

Police fear violence if All Blacks don't win RWC

New Zealand police are preparing for a spike in violence if the All Blacks fail to win next year's Rugby World Cup, the Dominion Post newspaper reported Saturday.
"The possibility that the All Blacks will lose has entered into our risk management," commissioner Howard Broad said as police studied the impact sports losses had on crime rates internationally.
Superintendent Grant O'Fee, in charge of policing the World Cup, said that after a Scottish Cup football final between Glasgow clubs Celtic and Rangers, Strathclyde police saw an 80 percent increase in reported domestic violence.
"Now 80 percent in reported family violence is very significant -- only a small proportion of family violence is recorded -- so that got us pretty excited and we discussed it with our partners at the (women's) refuge and we've looked at our own statistics," O'Fee said.

RFU launch social media crackdown

England's leading players have been cautioned about the perils of using social networking and micro-blogging sites such as Facebook and Twitter during next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The warning comes from the Rugby Football Union who have launched the crackdown in an attempt to prevent the kind of embarrassing online outbursts that have plagued other sports. In two recent high-profile incidents, cricketer Kevin Pietersen was fined after revealing on Twitter that he had been dropped by England before the official squad announcement while Hampshire all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas was suspended for an expletive-laden tirade aimed at national selector Geoff Miller.

However, English rugby's governing body has stopped short of an outright ban on the use of such sites and insist their stance represents "a firming up" of existing guidelines concerning the use of such sites.

Reports had suggested that as well as a ban on the use of Twitter and Facebook, players would also be denied the chance to sign lucrative newspaper columns in what would be a further blow to their own commercial prospects. But the RFU, who outlined their plans to club officials and agents at Twickenham earlier this week, insist that media work and also personal sponsorships are subject to the same review process that existed at the 2003 and 2007 World Cup tournaments.

McCaw demands Grand Slam focus

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw says the prospect of a Grand Slam will stop the All Blacks from getting distracted by their upcoming home World Cup on their northern hemisphere tour.

The All Blacks could be forgiven for having one eye on the 2011 World Cup, which they are clear favourites to win for the first time in 24 years on home soil, given rugby's showpiece is now less than a year away. But McCaw insists his men will have their minds on the job as they tour Britain and Ireland in November.

The All Blacks underlined their status as the world's number one side with an unbeaten success in the Tri Nations earlier this year, with their impressive multi-phase game proving too much to handle for traditional rivals Australia and South Africa.

Graham Henry's men are currently in Hong Kong preparing to take on the Wallabies on Saturday, from there they will head to Britain and Ireland to face England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales as they seek a third clean sweep of the home nations in the last six seasons.

The men in black have not lost to England since 2003, Wales have to go back 57 years for their last success and Ireland and Scotland have yet to record victories against the Kiwis.

But Canterbury openside flanker McCaw, the world's leading exponent at the breakdown, is taking nothing for granted and does not believe his side can afford to look too far ahead.

RFU on a collision course with World cup players

The RFU have announced a crackdown on world cup players commercial, media and online activities during the Rugby World Cup next year.
The RFU held a meeting yesterday and club officials and a large gathering of rugby agents were informed that the governing body will be implementing a range of restrictive measures at the tournament in New Zealand.
The move could cost a player like Jonny Wilkinson hundreds of thousands of pounds in potential income.
The national squad will be banned from using Twitter, Facebook or any other social networking or messaging sites from the moment they board the plane at Heathrow in August until their return in October.

SARugby forced to move Springbok emblem

The leaping Springbok which was recently moved from the left breast of the rugby jersey to the right recently to make way for the Protea, will be move again - this time to the left sleeve for all IRB World Cup events.
This was announced by the South African Rugby Union Friday, a result of deliberations regarding the placement of logos and emblems on the playing jerseys of all South African teams at World Cup events.
Several months of discussions took place with the relevant regulatory authorities before the executive council ruled on the management of the placing of the Springbok logo on team jerseys.
To conform to all contractual and legislative requirements the Springbok logo will be placed on the left sleeve of the playing jersey for the duration of Rugby World Cup tournaments.
This temporary switch only applies to IRB events and mirrors the approach of other international unions.

Jones wants Wales to focus on RWC depth

Wales captain Ryan Jones expects the international season ahead to be 'as tough as it gets' but he wants Wales to start building their world cup squad this November.

Wales have a tough November programme starting with back-to-back clashes against Australia, South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand, at the Millennium Stadium in November.

Jones knows Rugby World Cup preparations begin in earnest for his side when 2011 Pool D opponents South Africa and Fiji come to Cardiff on the 13th and 20th November respectively, but he also accepts the two other fixtures on the calendar this autumn, against the Wallabies and the All Blacks (27th November), will provide a vital yardstick to preparations.

Cruise with Fitz

If there is one tour on offer for next year's Rugby World Cup which will define Rugby touring for years to come, it is our Orion Expedition Cruise for the final 18 days of the Tournament.

Together with former Wallaby and media commentator Peter FitzSimons, you will be treated to 5 star quality service and entertainment cruising through New Zealand waters offering experiences the superliners just simply can't offer.

Beautifully appointed cabins, mind blowing service and mouth watering meals. Rugby World Cup is a prestigious event, why not do it in absolute style onbard the only tour of its kind in 2011.

Cabins are selling fast so book your place today to avoid disappointment!

Mortlock plans comeback for Rugby World cup

Former Wallaby captain Stirling Mortlock is planning a comeback with the Melbourne Rebels in next year's Super 15 Rugby that will see him regain his place in the Wallaby team for the Rugby World Cup.
Thirty-two year old Mortlock had surgery in May which ruled him out of Wallaby selection this year and he will only make his return in February when the Super15 Rugby tournament kicks off.
"The injury's going really well and that's where I'm focused at the moment," he told AAP on Tuesday.
"That's going really well and the next port of call for me will be to get training ... and down the track we'll see." Mortlock said he's back running and hoped to be able to start full training by the start of December.
"I definitely want to give myself some good lead-in time to the trials next year and be part of those," he said.

Gatland warns English based players for RWC

Warren Gatland has revealed that Welsh qualified players playing in England are unlikely to be included in Wales Rugby world cup squad for the 2011 tournament.
This means that Sale Sharks' Dwayne Peel, Wasps number eight Andy Powell and Gloucester's Nicky Robinson are all unlikely to be going to New Zealand.
The trio were all left out of Gatland's 33-man autumn squad due to the English body Premier Rugby only releasing players at the latest possible date next year and Gatland has started building his world cup squad.
"A major concern going forward is that we have had a letter from the premier rugby saying that players in England wont be released until the 4th August (2011)." said Gatland.

Gatland to lead Wales to 2015 Rugby World cup

The Welsh Rugby Union have announced that Head Coach Warren Gatland has re-signed with the Union and will stay on until the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The WRU Group Chief executive Roger Lewis concluded negotiations with the New Zealander over the weekend. An agreement has been reached to extend the original contract which took his tenure in charge until the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Warren Gatland will continue to coach the senior Wales squad and work with the WRU Performance and Development team to develop a robust player succession plan to identify and nurture the international stars of the future.

During the 6 Nations tournament this season Warren Gatland will become the longest serving coach of Wales and is now set to write an important new chapter in the history of the game as the WRU enters its 130th season.

His first new challenge after this announcement will be against Australia at the Millennium Stadium on 6th November in the opening game of the 2010 Autumn test Series.

Warren Gatland said: "I am proud and delighted to have been chosen by the Welsh Rugby Union to take charge of the Wales team until the conclusion of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

"I have chosen to stay in Wales because of my confidence in the players we have, the coaching structures we have developed and the succession plan of talent we now constantly update, all fully resourced and supported by the WRU.

"I know the other major rugby nations take us seriously as opponents who can play excellent rugby and that inspires me to help take this group of players even further.

Draw

Seeding of teams for the 2011 World Cup was based on their respective IRB World Rankings. The top four at the 2007 Rugby World Cup (South Africa, England, Argentina, and France) were not therefore allocated top pool spots, but "the rankings are now very well established and provide us with a credible and succinct way of seeding teams for the rugby World Cup pool draw," according to Rugby World Cup Ltd (RWCL) chairman Syd Millar.

The draw was conducted in December 2008 and used the World Rankings as of 1 December 2008, after the Northern Hemisphere Autumn internationals. The teams were placed into three bands depending on their seedings at the time, with one team from each band in each of the groups. The rankings and bands were therefore: New Zealand (1), South Africa (2), Australia (3) and Argentina (4); Wales (5), England (6), France (7) and Ireland (8); Scotland (9), Fiji (10), Italy (11) and Tonga (13).

The full draw and venues for the tournament were announced on 12 March 2009.

The opening match will see the hosts, New Zealand, take on Tonga. This will be the first World Cup since 1995 in which the opening match does not involve Argentina.

Auckland options

On 10 November 2006, the New Zealand Government announced plans for Stadium New Zealand  for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The proposal was to build the new stadium seating 70,000 on the Auckland waterfront. After much public outcry, and lack of support from the Auckland Regional Council, the proposal was dropped in favour of the redevelopment of Eden Park.

The redevelopment of Eden Park's Southern and South Western stands are progressing well. The old stands have been demolished and the supporting pillars and beams have been installed. Work is now starting on the first floor of the Southern stand.

Some consents are still to be approved but the Government has announced it is considering passing a law bypassing the consent process to allow all the stadiums' redevelopment to be completed in time for the Rugby World Cup.

Concerns

Some concerns over New Zealand's readiness for the Rugby World Cup have been raised. The process of upgrading Eden Park to expand the capacity to the 60,000+ figure required by the IRB was characterised in late 2008 by the Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully as needing legislative abolishment of the consent process to be completed on time.  A July 2009 report by the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, released under the Official Information Act, warned of lack of readiness and complacency, despite the fact that "the levels of patron movement and operational standard are in reality significantly above what is currently delivered."
The construction of Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium  has also been a source of concern as the project is operating within a tight time frame. An April 2010 progress report stated that the project remained on target for completion prior to the Rugby World Cup, however there is a medium level of risk with some significant and potentially damaging concerns. If the project is not completed on time, organisers will revert to the backup option of Carisbrook Stadium

Recycling plans released for RWC 2011

Today, the New Zealand Government announced a NZ $2 million dollar recycling programme to ensure the country is an environmentally responsible host of Rugby World Cup 2011 .

The initiative was announced by Environment Minister Nick Smith and will see over 700 ''Love NZ'' recycling stations for glass, plastic and cans at stadiums, Fanzones, main streets, airports, railway stations, bus terminals, campsites and main attractions in the 12 regions hosting RWC 2011 matches.

"The Government is determined that in hosting the largest event in our history, we minimise the impacts on our environment," Dr Smith said.  "We also want to ensure the visiting 85,000 rugby fans and 2,500 international media have an experience that matches our 100% pure brand,” said Dr Smith.

world cup 2011

RWC Tickets  have been available since early 2010. Adult ticket prices range from $60 to $1250. World Cup tickets are also available with official travel packages. The second phase of ticket sales is from Sept 10th 2010 till October 8th 2010 via the official ticketing agents. Any remaining tickets will probably be available in mid 2011.

Towns acting as team bases have also been announced, allowing fans to plan their stays around their teams' locations. Visit our New Zealand Maps page to plan your trip and view the main stadium locations as well as the main NZ tourist towns and cities. Visit our Travelzone for travel information and to help you with your planning. Cheap flights are available to New Zealand at Jetabroad.

To get ready for the Rugby World Cup, start supporting your favourite team by purchasing their rugby gear!!! Show your colors!

Subscribe to our newsletter and be advised as we hear more news about the schedule, tickets and pricing. You may subscribe to this newsletter for free on our newsletter page.

Thirteen Rugby World Cup 2011 cities will host 48 games in a 44 day period. Only one team will prevail as Rugby World Cup 2011 Champion. Witness the raw emotion of intense competition

We are proud to announce to all our global clients, our appointment as an Official Travel Agent for Rugby World Cup 2011, New Zealand!

Of course, at Great Atlantic Travel, we have the International program that you're looking for. Follow your team or select your schedule. We have the best tickets at great prices! No need to sacrifice a great time. You're in complete control with our flexible programs and user-friendly website. Experience the host city/cities of your choice; travel where, when, and how you choose. And most importantly, we have worked hard to build a worldwide reputation of integrity, and real customer services as you should expect.

Countdown to Rugby World Cup Begins

With just one year until Rugby World Cup 2011, New Zealand (9 September – 23 October 2011), there is still time for fans to experience rugby’s flagship event in its spiritual home.

Rugby World Cup returns to New Zealand for the first time since the inaugural event in Australia and New Zealand in 1987, and the New Zealand national team, The All Blacks, will be keen to mark the event with some exciting matches. Arguably the most passionate Rugby country in the world, for New Zealand, or Aotearoa (Maori for ‘the land of the long white cloud’), rugby is the national religion making the experience unforgettable.

Former Bath, England and British Lions player Gareth ‘Cooch’ Chilcott says, “The All Blacks are again setting the standards leading up to Rugby World Cup, 2011, but this has happened before and can they afford to blow another Rugby World Cup especially on home soil? It will be a fantastic tournament that I for one can not wait to be part of.”

There is still the chance for fans to book their packages to experience what promises to be the best Rugby World Cup ever.

As well as the action on the pitch, there is plenty to discover off the pitch from the stunning scenery of the south to the Maori folklore, hot springs and volcanoes of the north – and the vibrant cities in between.

Coca-Cola becomes RWC 2011 Official SupplierRugby World Cup Limited has announced the appointment of Coca-Cola as the Official Tournament Supplier of Non-Alcoholic Beverages for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand. The world’s leading soft beverage producer will provide Rugby’s showcase Tournament with its winning range of soft drinks to refresh fans, while supplying all 20 participating teams with water and its leading sports drink Powerade. The announcement extends Coca-Cola’s long association with the world’s third largest single sports event that stretches back to Rugby World Cup 1995 in South Africa and underlines Coca-Cola’s commitment to the promotion and development of Rugby worldwide.

Rugby World Cup Limited has announced the appointment of Coca-Cola as the Official Tournament Supplier of Non-Alcoholic Beverages for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

The world’s leading soft beverage producer will provide Rugby’s showcase Tournament with its winning range of soft drinks to refresh fans, while supplying all 20 participating teams with water and its leading sports drink Powerade.

The announcement extends Coca-Cola’s long association with the world’s third largest single sports event that stretches back to Rugby World Cup 1995 in South Africa and underlines Coca-Cola’s commitment to the promotion and development of Rugby worldwide.

Tana Umaga joins Kiwi stars as Volunteer

• Call goes out for Kiwis to sign up
• Deadline looms - volunteer registrations close this Friday, September 24
• New Zealand's biggest ever recruitment drive

Former All Black captain Tana Umaga has called on Kiwis to get behind Rugby World Cup 2011 Rugby World Cup  2011 and volunteer for the biggest sporting event New Zealand has ever staged.

He was today joined by other sports stars and well-known New Zealanders in signing up to be volunteers for Rugby World Cup 2011.

"This is a great event for New Zealand and much, much more than just a sports tournament so I want to do my bit to help make it a success."

Former Silver Ferns Netball coach Dame Lois Muir, squash star Dame Susan Devoy, former Silver Fern and current assistant coach Waimarama Taumaunu, veteran sports commentator Keith Quinn, former All White Andy Barron, Wellington chef Martin Bosley, television presenter April Ieremia and former Shortland Street actor Richard Knowles are all putting their hands up to be volunteers.

Rugby World Cup 2011 kick-off times announced

Rugby World Cup 2011 marked another milestone with the announcement of kick-off times for Rugby's most prestigious event.

The announcement comes after the opening of applications for Individual Match Tickets as fans around the world look to book their place at the world's third largest sporting event.

"We have achieved a good balance." said Martin Snedden, CEO for Tournament Organisers Rugby New Zealand 2011. "If New Zealand is to make the most of the platform RWC 2011 gives us to showcase our country to the world, then we need to ensure we maximise the global television audience for key matches.

"What has now been agreed with event-owner Rugby World Cup Ltd (RWCL) will help all hosting regions to promote themselves to the world and help fans, both domestic and international, to get on with planning their RWC 2011 experience with the start of the Tournament now less than a year away.

Preparation and excitement building

At the One Year to Go milestone, the global Rugby Family has expressed its confidence in Tournament preparations for Rugby World Cup 2011...

Senior International Rugby board (IRB) and Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) officials visited New Zealand to celebrate the 365 day countdown to RWC 2011 and expressed their confidence in New Zealand's preparations for the Tournament.

The delgation, which included IRB and RWCL Chairman Bernard Lapasset, IRB Vice-Chairman and RWCL Director Bill Beaumont and IRB CEO and RWCL Managing Director Mike Miller, were impressed with the progress made since their last visit and enjoyed the postive feeling about the Tournament as they travelled around the country.

Take the long way round for a REAL experience

In 2011, domestic and international visitors will be offered a genuine taste of the country through the REAL New Zealand Festival....

The REAL New Zealand Festival will bring the Rugby world cup 2011 experience alive with a nationwide celebration of New Zealand arts, food and wine, heritage, culture, entertainment, business and lifestyle.

With events all over the country, there'll be plenty of reasons to take the long way round as you travel from match to match.

If it's quintessentially Kiwi, chances are it'll be there. The Festival is for visitors and locals alike - whether you're dropping in to catch some world-class Rugby or simply taking the opportunity to explore your own backyard. 

The REAL New Zealand Festival will run from September 9 - October 23 and will complement the match and team hosting schedule.

There are currently more than 300 events on the festival programme and it will continue to build over the next year, so keep checking back for REAL New Zealand Festival updates as we build up to the biggest festival New Zealand has ever seen

TWENTY11 September edition out now

With less than one year to go until Rugby World Cup 2011 kicks off, the excitement is building. Get all the latest news with the September edition of TWENTY11 - the official newsletter of RWC 2011.

In this issue:

    * RNZ 2011 CEO Martin Snedden shares his best sporting moment
    * Regions across New Zealand celebrate “One Year to Go” in their own unique style
    * Visitors prepare to take the long way round with the REAL New Zealand Festival
    * The global Rugby Family expresses its confidence in Tournament preparations

KPMG RWC 2011 Official Tournament Supplier

Now lets about talk about the RWC 2011,Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) has announced the appointment of KPMG as the Official Tournament Supplier of accounting and tax advisory services for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

One of the world's leading Accountancy Firms, KPMG will provide the full range of professional services for the tournament which kicks off on September 9, 2011 when hosts New Zealand face Tonga in Auckland.

The appointment of another globally renowned business as an Official Tournament Supplier underlines Rugby World Cup's stature as one of the world's premier sporting events.

Rugby World Cup Limited Managing Director Mike Miller said: "We are delighted to welcome KPMG as an Official Tournament Supplier for Rugby World Cup 2011. The delivery of accounting and tax advisory services is an important element of a tournament which is now firmly established as the world's third largest sporting event."

"KPMG has considerable experience and expertise across the global accountancy and tax spectrum and has excellent Rugby knowledge and we are looking forward to continuing our strong partnership with the firm over the next year and a half."

The first Rugby Union

On 4 December 1870, Edwin Ash of Richmond and Benjamin Burns of Blackheath published a letter in The Times  suggesting that "those who play the rugby-type game should meet to form a code of practice as various clubs play to rules which differ from others, which makes the game difficult to play." On 26 January 1871 a meeting attended by representatives from 21 clubs was held in London at the Pall Mall Restaurant.

The 21 clubs present at the meeting were: Blackheath represented by Burns and Frederick Stokes the latter becoming the first captain of England,  The one notable omission was the Wasps. According to one version, a Wasps' representative was sent to attend the meeting, but owing to a misunderstanding, was sent to the wrong venue at the wrong time on the wrong day; another version is that he went to a venue of the same name where, after consuming a number of drinks, he realised his mistake but was too drunk to make his way to the correct venue.

As a result of this meeting the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was founded. Algernon Rutter was elected as the first president of the RFU and Edwin Ash was elected as treasurer. Three lawyers who were Rugby School alumni drew up the first laws of the game which were approved in June 1871.

And now rugby 2010 still there is a need to implement these laws.Rugby World Cup 2010 is on its way also.

Trophy

 The Webb Ellis Cup is the final prize presented to winners of the Rugby World Cup, named after William Webb Ellis, who is credited with creating the game of rugby football. The trophy is also referred to simply as the Rugby World Cup. The trophy was chosen in 1987 as an appropriate cup for use in the competition. The words 'International Rugby Board' and 'The Webb Ellis Cup' are engraved on the face of the cup. It stands at thirty-eight centimetres and is silver gilded in gold, and supported by two cast scroll handles, one handle has a head of a satyr, and the other has a head of a nymph. The colloquial name of the trophy in Australia is "Bill"
Rugby Tickets 2010 are also available at cheapest prices

Tournament

The current model features twenty nations competing over a month in the host nation(s). There are two stages, a group and a knock-out. Nations are divided into four pools, A through to D, of five nations each.  The pool allocation system seeds teams ranked one to four from the previous tournament into A to D pools respectively. The other four automatic entrants—the losing quarter-finalists from the previous tournament—are drawn into pools at random.

The remaining positions in each pool are filled by the qualifiers. Nations play four pool games, playing their respective pool members once. A bonus points system is used during pool play. If two or more teams are level on points, a system of criteria is used to determine the higher rank; the sixth and final criterion decides the higher rank through the Official IRB World Rankings

Qualification

Qualifying tournaments were introduced for the second tournament, where eight of the sixteen places were contested in a twenty-four-nation tournament. The inaugural World Cup in 1987, did not involve any qualifying process; instead, the 16 places were automatically filled by seven eligible International Rugby Football Board International Rugby Board member nations, and the rest by invitation.

The current format allows for twelve of the twenty available positions to be filled by automatic qualification, as the teams who finish third or better in the group  stages of the previous tournament enter its successor  . The qualification system for the remaining eight places will be region-based with Europe and the Americas allocated two qualifying places, Africa, Asia and Oceania one place each, with the last place determined by a play-off .

The previous format, used in 2003 and 2007, allowed for eight of the twenty available positions to be filled by automatic qualification, as the eight quarter finalists of the previous tournament enter its successor. The remaining twelve positions were filled by continental qualifying tournaments. Positions were filled by three teams from the Americas, one from Asia, one from Africa, three from Europe and two from Oceania. Another two places were allocated for repechage. The first repechage place was determined by a match between the runners-up from the Africa and Europe qualifying tournaments, with that winner then playing the Americas runner-up to determine the place.The second repechage position was determined between the runners-up from the Asia and Oceania qualifiers

History

It is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is managed by the sport's governing body, the IRB, and is contested by the men's national teams.
The 1st tournament was held in 1987, and the main hosts were Australia and New Zealand, and is now contested after every four years. The tournament is one of the largest international sporting competitions in the world.