Rugby World Cup Knock-Out Stages
After the Rugby World Cup Pool Phase, teams will be ranked one through to five based on cumulative match points - with the top two proceeding to the quarter-finals. If two or more teams are level on points a system of criteria is used to determine the higher rank. If there is no resolution then going through to the next stage is decided on the higher rank in accordance with the Official IRB World Rankings.
Rugby World Cup Knock-out Stages
| Quarter Finals | Semi Finals | Final |
|---|---|---|
| October 6 - Stade Vélodrome, Marseille | ||
| Australia | ||
| England | ||
| October 13 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis | ||
| New Zealand | October 20 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis | |
| France | ||
| October 7 - Stade Vélodrome, Marseille | ||
| South Africa | ||
| Fiji | October 14 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis | Third Place |
| October 7 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis | ||
| Argentina | ||
| Scotland | October 19 - Parc des Princes, Paris |
Each pool has two quarter-finalists from the 2003 tournament, with the other three places filled via the qualification system. Each nation plays each other team in their pool once, so, in total, each nation will have four fixtures in the pool stages. The winners and runners-up of each of the four pools advance to the quarter-finals. Pool winners are drawn against opposite pool runners-up in the quarter-finals.
From this stage onwards, the tournament adopts a knock-out format, and the winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals then advance to the final, and the losing semi-finalists will contest a third/fourth place play-off the day before the final.
The top 3 teams in each group table will qualify for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.