2011 June rugby union tests
The 2011 mid-year rugby union tests, staged in July and August 2011, served as a series of warm-up fixtures for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Most of the matches were played in the northern hemisphere, parallel to the 2011 Tri Nations Series involving New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
This was the first time since 1973, and only the second in the past 50 years, that no team representing the Home Unions (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, or the British and Irish Lions) toured the southern hemisphere in the mid-year window.[1]
In June 2011, Wales played against the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium to mark the 130th anniversary of the Welsh Rugby Union. The WRU announced in April that it would award full Test caps for this match.[2]
Although most matches were scheduled for the northern hemisphere, a number of matches were also played in the southern hemisphere:
- Argentina hosted three non-capped matches—a two-match tour in June by the French Barbarians, which was split 1–1, and a one-off match in August in which the Pumas routed a "South American Invitational XV".
- Australia hosted Samoa on 17 July in Sydney, with Manu Samoa scoring their first-ever win over Australia.
- Five days later, the All Blacks entertained and easily defeated Fiji. This was the final Test at Carisbrook in Dunedin, which was replaced by Forsyth Barr Stadium in time for the World Cup.
- In August, Fiji hosted a two-match tour by Tonga, which was split 1–1.
- Also in August, the Australian Barbarians invitational side hosted and defeated Canada in a non-capped affair.
Several countries also played domestic sides in non-capped warm-up matches:
- The most extensive such tour was that of Russia, who visited England and Wales for a total of four matches against English Premiership and Celtic League sides, losing all four.
- Georgia swept a two-match tour in France, the playing base of most of its World Cup player pool, against sides in the country's second-tier league, Pro D2.
- Argentina defeated Premiership newcomers Worcester Warriors.
- Ireland defeated one of its professional provincial sides, Connacht.
- Japan defeated a side selected from the country's main competition, Top League.
- Romania visited and lost to Pro D2 side Périgueux.
- Canada also played in what was called an "opposed training session"—not an official match—with a side billed as a "Queensland Reds XV", minus players on duty with the Australia national team. The Canucks outscored the Reds.
Test matches
Week 1
Week 2
4 June 2011 14:30 BST (UTC+01) |
Wales | 28–31 | Barbarians |
Try: North 10' c Stoddart 25' c Phillips 54' c Brew 65' c Con: S. Jones (4/4) | Report | Try: Tekori 17' m Nacewa (2) 22' c, 79' c Parisse 35' c Bastareaud 73' m Con: James (3/5) |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 31,232 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland) |
- Unlike most Barbarians matches, this was a fully capped match for Wales. As a result, Stephen Jones earned his 100th Wales cap in this match.
- The uncapped players on this Barbarians squad were Brock James and Lloyd Williams. As noted earlier, Willie Mason is uncapped in union as a recent code convert, but capped in league.
Week 3
17 July 2011 14:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
Australia | 23–32 | Samoa |
Try: Ioane 37' c Giteau 70' c Con: Giteau (2/2) Pen: Giteau (3) 40', 41', 57' | Report | Try: Tuilagi 11' c Williams 28' c Thompson 45' m G. Pisi 54' c Con: T. Pisi (3/4) Pen: T. Pisi (1/2) |
ANZ Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 29,808[3] Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa) |
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Week 4
22 July 2011 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
New Zealand | 60–14 | Fiji |
Try: Sivivatu 9' m Slade 23' c Hore 34' c Thomson 38' c Smith 63' c Weepu 68' c Penalty try 76' c Muliaina 79' c Con: Slade (4/5), Carter (3/3) Pen: Slade (2) 3', 20' | Report | Try: Serelevu 52' c Goneva 70' c Con: Bai (2/2) |
Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) |
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Touch judges:
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Week 5
6 August 2011 15:00 BST (UTC+01) |
Scotland | 10–6 | Ireland |
Try: Ansbro 77' c Con: Jackson (1/1) Pen: Paterson (1/2) 49' | Report | Pen: Sexton (2/3) 31', 64' |
Murrayfield, Edinburgh Attendance: 28,288 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
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Touch judges:
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6 August 2011 14:30 BST (UTC+01) |
England | 23–19 | Wales |
Try: Haskell 24' c Tuilagi 42' c Con: Wilkinson (2/2) Pen: Wilkinson (1/2) 5' Drop: Wilkinson (2) 37', 60' | Report | Try: North (2) 16' c, 75' c Shane Williams 56' m Con: Priestland (2/3) |
Twickenham, London Attendance: 80,945 Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia) |
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Touch judges:
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6 August 2011 14:00 EDT (UTC-04) |
Canada | 28–22 | United States |
Try: Sinclair 6' c Mackenzie 44' c Fairhurst 59' m Con: Pritchard (2/3) Pen: Pritchard (3/3) 38', 55', 78' | Report | Try: Ngwenya 23' c Clever (2) 34' m, 77' c Con: Malifa (1/2) Enosa (1/1) Pen: Malifa (1/2) 10' A. Suniula (0/1) |
BMO Field, Toronto Attendance: 10,621[4] Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa) |
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Week 6
13 August 2011 15:30 (UTC+12:00) |
Fiji | 27–12 | Tonga |
Try: Goneva, Nasiga, Murimurivalu Con: Bai (3/3) Pen: Bai (2/2) | Report | Try: Iongi (2) Con: Fisilau (1/2) |
Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 3,300 Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand) |
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13 August 2011 14:30 BST (UTC+01) |
Wales | 19–9 | England |
Try: Hook 58' c Con: Hook Pen: Priestland (2) Hook (2) | Report | Pen: Flood (3) |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 73,000 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) |
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13 August 2011 20:30 CEST (UTC+02) |
France | 19–12 | Ireland |
Try: Clerc 17' c Con: Yachvili (1/1) Pen: Yachvili (4/4) 3', 27', 66', 70' | Report | Pen: O'Gara (4/5) 38', 47', 52', 58' |
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux Attendance: 32,653 Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia) |
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13 August 2011 20:45 CEST (UTC+02) |
Italy | 31–24 | Japan |
Try: Pratichetti 3' c Gori 10' c Ghiraldini 44' c Lo Cicero 57' c Con: Bocchino (3/3) Orquera (1/1) Pen: Orquera (1/1) 33' | Report | Try: Usuzuki 22' c Taira 28' c Penalty try 63' c Con: Arlidge (3/3) Pen: Arlidge (1/1) 38' |
Stadio Dino Manuzzi, Cesena Attendance: 14,800 Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
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13 August 2011 19:15 MDT (UTC-06) |
United States | 7–27 | Canada |
Try: Scully 38' c Con: Malifa (1/1) | Report | Try: van der Merwe 4' c Carpenter 60' c P. Mackenzie 71' c Con: Pritchard (3/3) Pen: Pritchard (2) 12', 53' |
Infinity Park, Glendale Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa) |
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Week 7
19 August 2011 16:30 (UTC+12:00) |
Fiji | 20–32 | Tonga |
Report |
Churchill Park, Lautoka Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand) |
- Fiji win the 2 test Pinjas Rugby Series on Points Difference.
20 August 2011 17:00 IST (UTC+01) |
Ireland | 22–26 | France |
Report |
Aviva Stadium, Dublin Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) |
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20 August 2011 17:00 BST (UTC+01) |
Scotland | 23–12 | Italy |
Report |
Murrayfield, Edinburgh Attendance: 20,245 Referee: Dave Pearson (England) |
20 August 2011 14:30 BST (UTC+01) |
Wales | 28–13 | Argentina |
Report |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
21 August 2011 19:07 JST (UTC+09) |
Japan | 20–14 | United States |
Try: Ueda 6' m Kikutani 54' c Usuzuki 66' m Con: Nicholas (0/1) Webb (1/2) Pen: Nicholas (1/1) 11' | Report | Try: Swiryn (2) 8' c, 39' c Con: Malifa (2/2) |
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo Attendance: 12,519 Referee: Jérôme Garces (France) |
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Week 8
27 August 2011 14:30 IST (UTC+01) |
Ireland | 9–20 | England |
Pen: O'Gara (3/4) | Try: Tuilagi 5' c Armitage 46' c Con: Wilkinson (2/2) Pen: Wilkinson (2/2) |
Aviva Stadium, Dublin Attendance: 48,523 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
Other matches
29 May 2011 14:30 BST (UTC+01) |
England | 32–38 | Barbarians |
Try: Trinder 3' c Monye 18' c Simpson-Daniel 26' c Johnson 72' m Con: C. Hodgson (3/4) Pen: C. Hodgson (2/3) 16', 63' | Report | Try: Baby 7' c Michalak 38' c Visser (2) 48' m, 78' c Smith 56' m van Niekerk 60' c Con: Michalak (3/5) Pienaar (1/1) |
Twickenham, London Attendance: 38,680 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France) |
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- As is typical for Barbarians matches, this was an uncapped match for England.
- The traditionally uncapped player of the Barbarians side was Tim Visser. (Willie Mason was also uncapped in rugby union but he was capped in rugby league, having switched codes a few weeks before the game when signing to Toulon.) Visser qualified for Scotland on residency grounds in June 2012 and now represents that country internationally.
4 June 2011 16:10 ART (UTC-03) |
Argentina | 23–19 | French Barbarians |
Try: Fessia 23' c Figuerola 38' m Contepomi 62' m Con: Contepomi (1/3) Pen: Contepomi (2) 58', 74' | Report | Try: Boussès 12' c Planté 29' m Vosloo 66' c Con: Beauxis (2/3) |
Doble Visera, Avellaneda Referee: Francisco Pastrana (Argentina) |
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11 June 2011 15:25 ART (UTC-03) |
Argentina | 18–21 | French Barbarians |
Pen: Sánchez 17', 29', 31', 38', 44', 55' | Report | Try: Lapeyre (2) 26' c, 49'm Con: Teulet (1/2) Pen: Teulet 3', 42', 56' |
Estadio Centenario, Resistencia Referee: Pro Legoete (South Africa) |
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26 June 2011 15:00 JST (UTC+09) |
Japan | 49–7 | Top League XV |
Try: Kikutani 10' c, 33' c, 64' c Webb 18' c Holani 26' c Nicholas 44' c Imamura 58' c Con: Nicholas (4/4) Webb (1/1) Williams (2/2) | Try: Nagatomo 72' c Con: Kimishima (1/1) |
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo Referee: Shinji Aida (Japan) |
6 August 2011 15:30 ART (UTC-03) |
Argentina | 78–15 | South American Invitational XV |
Report |
Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan Referee: Javier Mancuso (Argentina) |
12 August 2011 19:30 BST (UTC+01) |
Northampton Saints | 54–19 | Russia |
Report |
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton Attendance: 6,227 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
17 August 2011 19:00 BST (UTC+01) |
Newport Gwent Dragons | 40–12 | Russia |
Report |
Rodney Parade, Newport Attendance: 2,565 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
18 August 2011 18:30 IST (UTC+01) |
Ireland | 38–3 | Connacht |
Report |
Donnybrook, Dublin Attendance: 3,168 Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland) |
19 August 2011 18:00 CEST (UTC+02) |
Bourgoin-Jallieu | 15–28 | Georgia |
Report (in French) |
Stade Jacques-Lavédrine, Issoire |
- This game is part of the European Nations Cup [1].
23 August 2011 19:45 BST (UTC+01) |
Worcester Warriors | 15–21 | Argentina |
Report |
Sixways Stadium, Worcester Attendance: 6,107 |
25 August 2011 19:30 CEST (UTC+02) |
Périgueux | 20–7 | Romania |
Report (in Romanian) |
Stade Francis Rongieras, Périgueux |
26 August 2011 19:30 AEST (UTC+10) |
Australian Barbarians | 38–14 | Canada |
Report |
Skilled Park, Gold Coast Attendance: 4,122 |
- This encounter was billed as an "opposed training session", not an actual match. The Queensland Rugby Union, operator of the Reds, did not announce the score on its official site.[5] Rugby Canada noted the score, but explicitly stated it was not an official match.[6]
See also
- Mid-year rugby union test series
- 2011 end-of-year rugby union tests
- 2011 Asian Five Nations
- 2011 IRB Churchill Cup
- 2011 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
- 2011 IRB Nations Cup
References
- ^ Griffiths, John (4 July 2011). "Cricket and tennis stars, SH tours by the Home Unions and early tourists in France". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
- ^ "Baa Baas clash offering full caps" (Press release). Welsh Rugby Union. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
- ^ "Qantas Wallabies v Samoa – Match Report". Australian Rugby Union. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ The Canadian Press (6 August 2011). "Canada beats the U.S. in Rugby World Cup tune-up match". Toronto Star. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ "Queensland XV and Canada impress in soggy conditions" (Press release). Queensland Rugby Union. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Kennedy, Tom (30 August 2011). "Canada and Queensland XV Meet in Soggy Training Run". RugbyCanada.ca. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
While it wasn't a game, Canada outscored the home team 33–14 in points ran in during the controlled scrimmage environment.