Rugby Union World Cup 2007 / Group B
The Group B of the 2007 Rugby World Cup included Australia , Canada , Fiji , Japan and Wales . The group matches took place between September 8th and 29th.
table
| country | Games | Victories | Unent. | Ndlg. | Game points |
Diff. | Bonus points |
Table points |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
 Australia
|
4th | 4th | 0 | 0 | 215: 41 | +174 | 4th | 20th |
| 2. |
 Fiji
|
4th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 114: 136 | −22 | 3 | 15th |
| 3. |
.svg){kind=small} Wales
|
4th | 2 | 0 | 2 | 168: 105 | +63 | 4th | 12 |
| 4th |
 Japan
|
4th | 0 | 1 | 3 | 64: 210 | −146 | 1 | 3 |
| 5. |
 Canada
|
4th | 0 | 1 | 3 | 51: 120 | −69 | 0 | 2 |
Games
Australia - Japan
| September 8, 2007 3:45 p.m. |
Australia
|
91: 3 |
Japan
|
Stade Gerland , Lyon Spectators: 40,043 Referee: Alan Lewis ( Ireland ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Sharpe 18th n.erh. Elsom (3) 24th, 34th, 41st Ashley-Cooper 46th, Latham (2) 53rd, 72nd, Barnes (2) 57th, 75th . erh. Mitchell (2) 59. erh., 66. erh. Smith 62. n.erh. Free 80. + increased increases: Mortlock (7/10) Giteau (3/3) Penalty kicks: Mortlock (2/2) 10., 16. |
(23: 3) Report |
Penalty kicks: Ono (1) 38. |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The game against rugby dwarf Japan turned out to be problem-free for Australia. The Australians made their first attempt after 18 minutes of play and a meager 23: 3 break did not really reflect their dominance. In the second half, the Wallabies overran the overwhelmed Japanese and made a total of ten attempts that led to a 91-3 victory, the seventh-highest in the history of the World Cup. Rocky Elsom managed the fastest hat trick in World Cup history with attempts in the 24th, 31st and 41st minutes of the game .
Wales - Canada
| September 9, 2007 2:00 p.m. |
Wales
|
42: 17 |
Canada
|
Stade de la Beaujoire , Nantes Spectators: 37,500 Referee: Alain Rolland ( Ireland ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Parker 52. received AW Jones 58. received S. Williams (2) 61. received, 63. received Charvis 68. received increases: S. Jones (4/5) Penalty kicks: Hook (3/4 ) 10., 15., 21. |
(9:12) Report |
Tries : Cudmore 25th n.erh. Culpan 36th received M. Williams 45th received Elevations: Pritchard (1/3) |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Welsh had more trouble than the final result suggests in their opening game against Canada. After a successful start and a 9-0 lead with three penalties for Wales, the Canadians struck back with two attempts before half-time and went into the break with a 12-9 lead. At the beginning of the second half, the Canadian team pulled away after another valid attempt to 17: 9. Then the Welsh made five attempts between the 52nd and 68th minute of the game and in the end won clearly with 42:17.
Japan - Fiji
| September 12, 2007 6:00 p.m. |
Japan
|
31:35 |
Fiji
|
Stadium Municipal , Toulouse Spectators: 37,500 Referee: Marius Jonker ( South Africa ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Thompson (2) 51st received, 78th received Sōma 62nd received. Elevations: Ōnishi (2/3) Penalty kicks: Ōnishi (4/4) 18th, 30th, 40th, 43rd |
(9:10) Report |
Attempts: Qera (2) 36th received, 49th received Rabeni 56th received Leawere 71st increases: Little (3/4) Penalty kicks: Little (3/3) 4th, 55th, 74th |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japan and Fiji offered an exciting and open game. After both teams were extremely nervous in the first half and there was hardly any flow of the game, they went into halftime with a score of 10: 9 for Fiji. After the break, both teams played with open cards and alternated three attempts. In the end, Fiji won just under 35:31. Shōtarō Ōnishi on the Japanese side and Nicky Little on the Fijian side proved to be nerve-racking when it came to penalties and increases, and only awarded once out of seven kicks.
Wales - Australia
| September 15, 2007 3:00 p.m. |
Wales
|
20:32 |
Australia
|
Millennium Stadium , Cardiff Attendance: 71,022 Referee: Steve Walsh ( New Zealand ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: J. Thomas 45. increased S. Williams 76. increased increments: Hook (2/2) Penalty kicks: S. Jones (1/3) 7. Hook (1/2) 54. |
(3:25) Report |
Attempts: Giteau 16th received Mortlock 35th received Latham (2) 40th + increased , 60th increased increases: Mortlock (2/2) Giteau (1/2) Penalty kicks: Mortlock (1/2) 2nd Barnes (1/1) 23. |
After the first half, the first of six World Cup games outside France was decided. After a brisk start with early points on both sides, the Australians clearly set themselves apart in the course of the first half through attempts by Matt Giteau , Stirling Mortlock and Chris Latham and led 20: 3 in the half. In the second half they managed the result and finally won 32:20 against Wales.
Fiji - Canada
| September 16, 2007 2:00 p.m. |
Fiji
|
29:16 |
Canada
|
Millennium Stadium , Cardiff Spectators: 45,000 Referee: Tony Spreadbury ( England ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Leawere 22nd higher Ratuvou (2) 28th and 80th higher Delasau 42nd higher increases: Little (3/4) Penalty kicks: Little (1/3) 8. |
(15: 6) Report |
Attempts: Smith 60th increases: Pritchard (1/1) Penalty kicks: Pritchard (3/4) 4th, 27th, 74th |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fiji beat Canada in a close match. After early points on both sides, Fiji pulled away to 15-6 in the course of the first half, although the Canadians largely dominated the game. The picture was the same in the second round, but Canada could not profit from its superiority. Six minutes before the final whistle they at least made it to 22:16, but a valid attempt to raise Fiji in stoppage time to the final score of 29:16 prevented the Canadians from gaining bonus points.
Wales - Japan
| September 20, 2007 9:00 p.m. |
Wales
|
72:18 |
Japan
|
Millennium Stadium , Cardiff Spectators: 35,245 Referee: Joël Jutge ( France ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: AW Jones 11th received Hook 24th received Thomas 31st received Morgan 40th + n.erh. Phillips 42nd received S. Williams (2) 48th after, 80th after James 52nd received Cooper 59th received Williams (2) 64th received, 74th received increases: S. Jones (5/7) Sweeney (2/4) Penalty kicks: S. Jones (1/1) 23 . |
(29:11) Report |
Attempts: Endō 19th n.erh. Onozawa 57th incremental increases: Robins (1/2) Penalty kicks: Ōnishi (2/2) 4th, 37th |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wales clearly beat Japan's selection in their second game at their home millennium stadium . After the Asians surprisingly took the lead twice at the beginning of the first half, the Welsh made clear conditions by half time. Since most of the game was played out in half of the Japanese, who were hardly able to cope with the constant pressure, Wales scored their fourth attempt at half-time and secured a bonus point early on. In the second half, the Welsh also besieged the Japanese half, which only became dangerous due to counterattacks or individual mistakes by the Welsh. In the end, Wales deservedly won 72:18 in height.
Australia - Fiji
| September 23, 2007 2:30 p.m. |
Australia
|
55: 12 |
Fiji
|
Stade de la Mosson , Montpellier Spectators: 32,231 Referee: Nigel Owens ( Wales ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Giteau (2) 17th received, 36th received Mitchell (3) 31st., 70th, 79th. Ashley-Cooper 57th received Hoiles 74th received Raise: Giteau (4/6) Penalty: Giteau (3/3) 28th, 42nd, 50th Dropgoals: Barnes (1/1) 44. |
(22: 5) Report |
Attempts: Neivua 40. + n.erh. Ratuva 47th ad. Elevations: Bai (1/2) |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thanks to an outstanding Matt Giteau , who scored 27 points in his 50th international match, the Australians easily won against Fiji and advanced to the quarter-finals. After 36 minutes the Australians were leading 22-0 after three attempts before the Fijians were able to score their first points in stoppage time in the first half. In the second half, the Australians continued to dominate the game and finally extended their lead to the final score of 55:12.
Canada - Japan
| September 25, 2007 6:00 p.m. |
Canada
|
12: 12 |
Japan
|
Stade Jacques-Chaban-Delmas , Bordeaux Spectators: 33,810 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan ( South Africa ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Riordan 48th n.erh. van der Merwe 55th raised increases: Pritchard (1/1) |
(0: 5) report |
Attempts: Endō 12. n.erh. Taira 80th increments: Ōnishi (1/2) |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
With the first draw in a World Cup preliminary round since 1987, Canada and Japan parted ways. Japan had taken a 5-0 lead after twelve minutes in the tight game over the entire season. This was also the half-time result. After the break, the Canadians fought back by ending two attacks in the opposing in-goal. The Japanese did not give up, however, and came in stoppage time by Kōji Taira and the increase of Shōtarō Ōnishi to equalize.
Australia - Canada
| September 29, 2007 3:00 p.m. |
Australia
|
37: 6 |
Canada
|
Stade Jacques-Chaban-Delmas , Bordeaux Spectators: 35,200 Referee: Chris White ( England ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Baxter 24. n.erh. Free 34th n.erh. G. Smith 51st n.erh. Mitchell 63rd received, 65th received Latham 73rd increases: Shepherd (2/3) Penalty kicks: Huxley (1/1) 2. |
(13: 0) report |
Penalty kicks: Pritchard (2/2) 42nd, 54th |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wales - Fiji
| September 29, 2007 5:00 p.m. |
Wales
|
34: 38 |
Fiji
|
Stade de la Beaujoire , Nantes Spectators: 37,080 Referee: Stuart Dickinson ( Australia ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attempts: Popham 34th received S. Williams 45th received G. Thomas 48th received M. Jones 51st received M. Williams 73rd received Raise: Hook (1/1) S. Jones (2/4) Penalty Kicks: S. Jones (1/2) 5. |
(10:25) report |
Attempts: Qera 16th received Delasau 19th post Leawere 25th increased Dewes 77th increased increases: Little (3/4) Penalty kicks: Little (4/5) 21st, 24th, 51st, 60th |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
