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Rugby World Cup 2021 quarter-final draw announced
By Lucy Lomax
The quarter-final draw for Rugby World Cup 2021 was announced on Sunday after a thrilling pool phase final round determined the eight teams who remain in the hunt to lift the coveted trophy in New Zealand.
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At the end of the pool phase, the eight teams that have made the quarter-finals were ranked from one to eight based on their results, with the three pool winners seeded first to third, runners-up fourth to sixth and the two best third-placed teams seventh and eighth.
The eight teams who have progressed through to the knockout phase, in order of their seedings, are: New Zealand, Canada, England, France, Italy, Australia, USA and Wales.
The Rugby World Cup 2021 tournament format sees the top seeds play the eighth in the quarter-finals, the second seeds face the seventh, third play sixth and fourth meet fifth.
Whang?rei’s Northland Events Centre is expected to once again draw a packed crowd when it hosts the first two quarter-finals with France v Italy at 16:30 local time (GMT+13) followed by hosts New Zealand v Wales at 19:30.
Saturday’s triple-header saw 16, 571 fans at the Northland Events Centre – the largest attendance at a sports event at the venue since the British and Irish Lions tour in 2017 – fill the stadium to witness the Black Ferns defeat Scotland.
Auckland’s Wait?kere Stadium will then host the remaining two quarter-finals on Sunday, with England v Australia at 13:30 local time, followed by Canada v USA at 16:30.
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The winners will progress to the semi-finals at Eden Park on Saturday, 5 November, while the losing teams will return home.
The winner of England v Australia will take on either Canada or the USA in the first semi-final at 16:30, with the victor of New Zealand v Wales facing either France or Italy in the second semi-final at 19:30 local time.
It is the first time Italy have reached a Rugby World Cup quarter-final – men’s or women’s – and welcome news for the group of passionate supporters who have joined them in New Zealand to watch their journey.
Rugby World Cup debutants Fiji along with Japan, Scotland and South Africa head home after failing to gain enough points to progress beyond the pool phase.
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Tickets are still available. For more information and to purchase tickets go to tickets2021.rugbyworldcup.com.
