Pool A was one of four pools at the 2003 Rugby World Cup into which the 20 participating teams were divided. The pool included hosts Australia and Argentina, who both qualified automatically having reached the quarter-finals of the 1999 tournament, along with Ireland, Romania and Namibia. [1]
Team | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Apps. | Last | Previous best performance |
IRB World Ranking (6 October 2003) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Hosts | 5th | 1999 | Winners ( 1991, 1999) | 4 | |
Argentina | Quarter-finalists in 1999 | 16 October 1999 | 5th | 1999 | Quarter-finals ( 1999) | 7 |
Ireland | Europe 1 | 28 September 2002 [2] | 5th | 1999 | Quarter-finals ( 1987, 1991, 1995) | 3 |
Romania | Europe 3 | 5 October 2002 [3] | 5th | 1999 | Pool stage ( 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999) | 15 |
Namibia | Africa | 13 October 2002 [4] | 2nd | 1999 | Pool stage ( 1999) | 25 |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | B | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Australia (H) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 273 | 32 | +241 | 2 | 18 | Advance to
quarter-finals, and qualification to the 2007 Rugby World Cup |
2 | Ireland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 141 | 56 | +85 | 3 | 15 | |
3 | Argentina | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 140 | 57 | +83 | 3 | 11 | Qualification to the 2007 Rugby World Cup |
4 | Romania | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 65 | 192 | −127 | 1 | 5 | |
5 | Namibia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 310 | −282 | 0 | 0 |
In the quarter-finals:
10 October 2003 |
Australia | 24–8 | Argentina |
Try:
Sailor Roff Con: Flatley Pen: Flatley (4) | Report | Try:
Corleto Pen: M. Contepomi |
Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 81,350 Referee: Paul Honiss ( New Zealand) |
|
|
11 October 2003 |
Ireland | 45–17 | Romania |
Try:
S. Horgan Wood Hickie (2) Costello Con: Humphreys (3) O'Gara Pen: Humphreys (4) | Report | Try:
Penalty try Maftei Con: Tofan Vioreanu Pen: Tofan |
Central Coast Stadium,
Gosford Attendance: 19,123 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan ( South Africa) |
|
|
14 October 2003 |
Argentina | 67–14 | Namibia |
Try:
Méndez Bouza (2) J. Fernández Miranda Penalty try (2) Gaitán (3) N. Fernández Miranda Con: Quesada (7) Pen: Quesada | Report | Try:
Grobler Husselman Con: Wessels (2) |
Central Coast Stadium,
Gosford Attendance: 17,887 Referee: Nigel Williams ( Wales) |
18 October 2003 |
Australia | 90–8 | Romania |
Try:
Flatley Rogers (3) Burke (2) Larkham (2) Mortlock Roff Giteau Tuqiri Smith Con: Flatley (11) Pen: Flatley | Report | Try:
Toderașc Pen: Tofan |
Suncorp Stadium,
Brisbane Attendance: 48,778 Referee: Pablo De Luca ( Argentina) |
|
|
19 October 2003 |
Ireland | 64–7 | Namibia |
Try:
Quinlan (2) Dempsey Hickie Horan Miller (2) G. Easterby S. Horgan Kelly Con: O'Gara (7) | Report | Try:
Powell Con: Wessels |
Aussie Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 35,382 Referee: Andrew Cole ( Australia) |
|
|
22 October 2003 |
Argentina | 50–3 | Romania |
Try:
Gaitán Hernández (2) M. Contepomi N. Fernández Miranda Bouza (2) Con: J. Fernández Miranda (4) Quesada (2) Pen: J. Fernández Miranda | Report | Pen: Tofan |
Aussie Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 33,673 Referee: Chris White ( England) |
|
|
25 October 2003 |
Australia | 142–0 | Namibia |
Try:
Latham (5) Lyons Mortlock Tuqiri (3) Penalty try Rogers (2) Paul Giteau (3) Grey Turinui (2) Burke Roe Con: Rogers (16) | Report |
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 28,196 Referee: Joël Jutge ( France) |
|
|
26 October 2003 |
Argentina | 15–16 | Ireland |
Pen:
Quesada (3) Drop: Quesada Corleto | Report | Try:
Quinlan Con: Humphreys Pen: Humphreys O'Gara (2) |
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 30,203 Referee: André Watson ( South Africa) |
|
|
30 October 2003 |
Namibia | 7–37 | Romania |
Try:
Isaacs Con: Wessels | Report | Try:
Petrechei Sîrbu Chiriac Teodorescu Săuan Con: Tofan (3) Pen: Tofan (2) |
York Park,
Launceston Attendance: 15,457 Referee: Peter Marshall ( Australia) |
|
|
1 November 2003 |
Australia | 17–16 | Ireland |
Try:
Smith Pen: Flatley (3) Drop: Gregan | Report | Try:
O'Driscoll Con: O'Gara Pen: O'Gara (2) Drop: O'Driscoll |
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne Attendance: 54,206 Referee: Paddy O'Brien ( New Zealand) |
|
|