RWC 2011 by the numbers

As the dust settles on the spectacle that was Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2011, rugbyworldcup.com takes a look at some of the numbers that defined the global showpiece.

9,171: Days between Australian victories at Eden Park (September 6, 1986 to October 21, 2011).

8,891: Days between the first RWC Final, in 1987, when New Zealand beat France at Eden Park, and the RWC 2011 Final, which ended with the same result.

2,435: Players to have taken the field in RWC history.

2,245: Points scored at RWC 2011. The average of 46.8 points per match was the second-lowest behind only the 37.4 set at RWC 1991.

1,250: Dan Carter’s career Test points world record after he scored 21 points in his two RWC 2011 matches.

836: Caps in the South Africa starting XV for their quarterfinal against Australia – the most-capped line-up in Test history.

594: Players that took to the field during RWC 2011.

301: Points scored by New Zealand at RWC 2011, 73 more than second-best Wales.

262: Tries scored at RWC 2011. The average of 5.46 per match was the second lowest behind only the 4.6 at RWC 1991.

171: Penalties scored at RWC 2011. The average of 3.56 per match was the lowest ever.

96: New Zealand have scored at least one try in their past 96 Tests and in 102 of the 103 Tests coached by Graham Henry.

94: Total points in the New Zealand v Canada Pool A match, the most in a RWC 2011 match. The All Blacks won 79-15.

92: Points scored by Italy in their four pool matches, the most by a team that failed to make the quarterfinals.

87: Points scored by South Africa in their pool match against Namibia, the highest score in a RWC 2011 match.

72: Minutes Ireland trailed during their quarterfinal loss to Wales, compared to the five minutes they spent behind in the whole of the pool phase at RWC 2011.

62: Points scored by Morné Steyn at RWC 2011, more than any other player. The fewest points scored by a tournament top-scorer in RWC history.

59: Second-half points scored by Wales against Namibia. The most points scored by a team in a half at RWC 2011.

41: Tries scored by starting left wings at RWC 2011, the most of any position.

36: Brad Thorn, at 36 years and 262 days, became the oldest player to take part in a RWC Final. During the tournament Thorn also became the oldest All Black to play in a RWC, the oldest All Black to score points in a Test match, the second-oldest All Black ever and the third-oldest RWC try-scorer.

23: Canada and Japan drew 23-23 in John Kirwan’s 23rd Rugby World Cup match as a player or coach. Kirwan’s 23 matches is a record which was equalled by England’s Martin Johnson in their quarterfinal loss against France.

21: Players to have played 100 Test matches after All Blacks Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina and Wallaby Nathan Sharpe reached that milestone during RWC 2011.

20: Match points scored by New Zealand in the pool phase of RWC 2011. They were the only team to win all four of their matches with a bonus point.

19: George North, at 19 years and 166 days old, became the youngest RWC try-scorer when he touched down against Namibia.

18: Matches in Japan’s record RWC winless streak.

17: Starters in the Ireland v Wales quarterfinal who toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions in 2009.

16: RWC matches played at Eden Park (five in 1987 and 11 in 2011) which is more than any other venue.

15: England’s Lewis Moody and Jonny Wilkinson won their 15th RWC match when England beat Scotland. The competition record is 16 matches won by George Gregan (Australia) and Jason Leonard (England).

14: The record for most RWC matches refereed. Set by Alain Rolland in the RWC 2011 semifinal between Wales and France.

13: Tries scored by New Zealand in their match against Japan, the most tries by a team in a RWC 2011 match.

12: Place kicks attempted by USA (four conversions and eight penalties) at RWC 2011, the fewest of any team.

11: Penalties kicked by Kurt Morath and Piri Weepu, the most of any players at RWC 2011.

10: Number 10s, the starting flyhalves, were the highest scoring players of RWC 2011, racking up 525 of the tournament’s 2,245 points.

9: Conversions kicked by James O’Connor against Russia and Colin Slade against Japan, the most by a player in a RWC 2011 match.

8: New Zealand’s score in the RWC 2011 Final was the lowest winning score in any RWC match.

7: The record for most matches refereed at one RWC. Set by Craig Joubert in the final.

6: Tries scored by Chris Ashton and Vincent Clerc, which equals the record low for top try-scorers, set at RWC 1987 and RWC 1991.

5: Fewest first-half points in a RWC Final. New Zealand led France 5-0.

4: Most tries scored by a player in a RWC 2011 match – Vereniki Goneva for Fiji against Namibia and Zac Guildford for New Zealand against Canada.

3: Three of the four pool winners were knocked out of RWC 2011 in the quarterfinals, the most to lose at that stage in a RWC.

2: Australia became the second team (joining New Zealand) to finish first, second, third and fourth at RWCs.

1: The match between South Africa and Namibia was the first all-African RWC encounter. Also, the Pool A match between New Zealand and Japan was the first RWC encounter to feature a (Shaun) Webb and an (Andy) Ellis.

0: Points scored by Namibia and Fiji in their pool matches against South Africa and Wales, respectively.