2003 Rugby World Cup knockout stage

The knockout stage at the 2003 Rugby World Cup featured the eight teams that qualified from the pool stage (the top two teams from each of the four pools), competing in a single-elimination tournament. The stage began with the quarter-final between New Zealand and South Africa in Melbourne on 8 November 2003, and concluded with the final between Australia and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney on 22 November. England won the final 20–17 after extra time, thanks to a last-minute drop goal from fly-half Jonny Wilkinson.

Bracket

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	8 November – Melbourne
	New Zealand	29
					15 November – Sydney (Telstra)
	South Africa	9
					New Zealand	10
	8 November – Brisbane
					Australia	22
	Australia	33
									22 November – Sydney (Telstra)
	Scotland	16
									Australia	17
	9 November – Melbourne
									England (a.e.t.)	20
	France	43
					16 November – Sydney (Telstra)
	Ireland	21
					France	7
	9 November – Brisbane
					England	24			Third place
	England	28
									20 November – Sydney (Telstra)
	Wales	17
									New Zealand	40
									France	13

Quarter-finals

New Zealand vs South Africa

8 November 2003

New Zealand	29–9	South Africa
Try: MacDonald 16' c Mealamu 59' m Rokocoko 72' m Con: MacDonald Pen: MacDonald (3) Drop: Mauger 45'	Report	Pen: Hougaard (3)

Docklands Stadium, Melbourne Attendance: 40,734 Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)

FB 15 Mils Muliaina RW 14 Doug Howlett OC 13 Leon MacDonald IC 12 Aaron Mauger LW 11 Joe Rokocoko FH 10 Carlos Spencer SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Jerry Collins OF 7 Richie McCaw BF 6 Reuben Thorne (c) RL 5 Chris Jack LL 4 Ali Williams TP 3 Greg Somerville HK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Dave Hewett Replacements: HK 16 Mark Hammett PR 17 Kees Meeuws LK 18 Brad Thorn FL 19 Marty Holah SH 20 Steve Devine FH 21 Dan Carter WG 22 Caleb Ralph Coach: John Mitchell

FB 15 Jaco van der Westhuyzen RW 14 Ashwin Willemse OC 13 Jorrie Muller IC 12 De Wet Barry LW 11 Thinus Delport FH 10 Derick Hougaard SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Juan Smith OF 7 Danie Rossouw BF 6 Corné Krige (c) RL 5 Victor Matfield LL 4 Bakkies Botha TP 3 Faan Rautenbach HK 2 John Smit LP 1 Christo Bezuidenhout Replacements: HK 16 Danie Coetzee PR 17 Richard Bands LK 18 Selborne Boome FL 19 Schalk Burger SH 20 Neil de Kock FH 21 Louis Koen CE 22 Jaque Fourie Coach: Rudolf Straeuli

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Australia vs Scotland

8 November 2003

Australia	33–16	Scotland
Try: Mortlock 46' c Gregan 59' c Lyons 64' c Con: Flatley (3) Pen: Flatley (4)	Report	Try: Russell 80' c Con: Paterson Pen: Paterson (2) Drop: Paterson 38'

Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 45,412 Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

FB 15 Mat Rogers RW 14 Wendell Sailor OC 13 Stirling Mortlock IC 12 Elton Flatley LW 11 Lote Tuqiri FH 10 Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 David Lyons OF 7 Phil Waugh BF 6 George Smith RL 5 Nathan Sharpe LL 4 Justin Harrison TP 3 Ben Darwin HK 2 Brendan Cannon LP 1 Bill Young Replacements: HK 16 Jeremy Paul PR 17 Al Baxter LK 18 Dan Vickerman FL 19 Matt Cockbain SH 20 Chris Whitaker CE 21 Matt Giteau WG 22 Joe Roff Coach: Eddie Jones

FB 15 Glenn Metcalfe RW 14 Simon Danielli OC 13 Gregor Townsend IC 12 Andrew Henderson LW 11 Kenny Logan FH 10 Chris Paterson SH 9 Bryan Redpath (c) N8 8 Simon Taylor OF 7 Cameron Mather BF 6 Jason White RL 5 Stuart Grimes LL 4 Nathan Hines TP 3 Bruce Douglas HK 2 Gordon Bulloch LP 1 Tom Smith Replacements: HK 16 Robbie Russell PR 17 Gordon McIlwham LK 18 Scott Murray N8 19 Jon Petrie SH 20 Mike Blair CE 21 James McLaren CE 22 Ben Hinshelwood Coach: Ian McGeechan

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France vs Ireland

9 November 2003

France	43–21	Ireland
Try: Magne 3' c Dominici 29' c Harinordoquy 33' c Crenca 47' c Con: Michalak (4) Pen: Michalak (5)	Report	Try: Maggs 52' c O'Driscoll (2) 65' c, 80+2' c Con: Humphreys (3)

Docklands Stadium, Melbourne Attendance: 33,134 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

FB 15 Nicolas Brusque RW 14 Aurélien Rougerie OC 13 Tony Marsh IC 12 Yannick Jauzion LW 11 Christophe Dominici FH 10 Frédéric Michalak SH 9 Fabien Galthié (c) N8 8 Imanol Harinordoquy OF 7 Olivier Magne BF 6 Serge Betsen RL 5 Jérôme Thion LL 4 Fabien Pelous TP 3 Sylvain Marconnet HK 2 Raphaël Ibañez LP 1 Jean-Jacques Crenca Replacements: HK 16 Yannick Bru PR 17 Olivier Milloud LK 18 Olivier Brouzet FL 19 Patrick Tabacco FH 20 Gérald Merceron CE 21 Brian Liebenberg WG 22 Pépito Elhorga Coach: Bernard Laporte

FB 15 Girvan Dempsey RW 14 Shane Horgan OC 13 Brian O'Driscoll IC 12 Kevin Maggs LW 11 John Kelly FH 10 Ronan O'Gara SH 9 Peter Stringer N8 8 Victor Costello OF 7 Keith Gleeson BF 6 Simon Easterby RL 5 Paul O'Connell LL 4 Malcolm O'Kelly TP 3 John Hayes HK 2 Keith Wood (c) LP 1 Reggie Corrigan Replacements: HK 16 Shane Byrne PR 17 Marcus Horan LK 18 Donncha O'Callaghan N8 19 Eric Miller SH 20 Guy Easterby FH 21 David Humphreys WG 22 Anthony Horgan Coach: Eddie O'Sullivan

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England vs Wales

9 November 2003

England	28–17	Wales
Try: Greenwood 44' c Con: Wilkinson Pen: Wilkinson (6) Drop: Wilkinson 80+1'	Report	Try: S. Jones 30' m Charvis 35' m M. Williams 71' c Con: Harris

Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 45,252 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

FB 15 Jason Robinson RW 14 Dan Luger OC 13 Will Greenwood IC 12 Mike Tindall LW 11 Ben Cohen FH 10 Jonny Wilkinson SH 9 Matt Dawson N8 8 Lawrence Dallaglio OF 7 Neil Back BF 6 Lewis Moody RL 5 Ben Kay LL 4 Martin Johnson (c) TP 3 Phil Vickery HK 2 Steve Thompson LP 1 Jason Leonard Replacements: HK 16 Dorian West PR 17 Trevor Woodman LK 18 Simon Shaw FL 19 Joe Worsley SH 20 Kyran Bracken CE 21 Mike Catt CE 22 Stuart Abbott Coach: Clive Woodward

FB 15 Gareth Thomas RW 14 Mark Jones OC 13 Mark Taylor IC 12 Iestyn Harris LW 11 Shane Williams FH 10 Stephen Jones SH 9 Gareth Cooper N8 8 Jonathan Thomas OF 7 Colin Charvis (c) BF 6 Dafydd Jones RL 5 Robert Sidoli LL 4 Brent Cockbain TP 3 Adam Jones HK 2 Robin McBryde LP 1 Iestyn Thomas Replacements: HK 16 Mefin Davies PR 17 Gethin Jenkins LK 18 Gareth Llewellyn FL 19 Martyn Williams SH 20 Dwayne Peel FH 21 Ceri Sweeney WG 22 Kevin Morgan Coach: Steve Hansen

Semi-finals

New Zealand vs Australia

15 November 2003

New Zealand	10–22	Australia
Try: Thorne 35' c Con: MacDonald Pen: MacDonald	Report	Try: Mortlock 9' c Con: Flatley Pen: Flatley (5)

Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 82,444 Referee: Chris White (England)

FB 15 Mils Muliaina RW 14 Doug Howlett OC 13 Leon MacDonald IC 12 Aaron Mauger LW 11 Joe Rokocoko FH 10 Carlos Spencer SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Jerry Collins OF 7 Richie McCaw BF 6 Reuben Thorne (c) RL 5 Ali Williams LL 4 Chris Jack TP 3 Greg Somerville HK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Dave Hewett Replacements: HK 16 Mark Hammett PR 17 Kees Meeuws LK 18 Brad Thorn FL 19 Marty Holah SH 20 Byron Kelleher FH 21 Dan Carter WG 22 Caleb Ralph Coach: John Mitchell

FB 15 Mat Rogers RW 14 Wendell Sailor OC 13 Stirling Mortlock IC 12 Elton Flatley LW 11 Lote Tuqiri FH 10 Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 David Lyons OF 7 Phil Waugh BF 6 George Smith RL 5 Nathan Sharpe LL 4 Justin Harrison TP 3 Ben Darwin HK 2 Brendan Cannon LP 1 Bill Young Replacements: HK 16 Jeremy Paul PR 17 Al Baxter LK 18 David Giffin FL 19 Matt Cockbain SH 20 Chris Whitaker CE 21 Nathan Grey WG 22 Joe Roff Coach: Eddie Jones

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France vs England

16 November 2003

France	7–24	England
Try: Betsen 10' c Con: Michalak	Report	Pen: Wilkinson (5) Drop: Wilkinson (3) 9', 38', 58'

Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 82,346 Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

FB 15 Nicolas Brusque RW 14 Aurélien Rougerie OC 13 Tony Marsh IC 12 Yannick Jauzion LW 11 Christophe Dominici FH 10 Frédéric Michalak SH 9 Fabien Galthié (c) N8 8 Imanol Harinordoquy OF 7 Olivier Magne BF 6 Serge Betsen RL 5 Jérôme Thion LL 4 Fabien Pelous TP 3 Sylvain Marconnet HK 2 Raphaël Ibañez LP 1 Jean-Jacques Crenca Replacements: HK 16 Yannick Bru PR 17 Olivier Milloud LK 18 David Auradou N8 19 Christian Labit FH 20 Gérald Merceron CE 21 Damien Traille FB 22 Clément Poitrenaud Coach: Bernard Laporte

FB 15 Josh Lewsey RW 14 Jason Robinson OC 13 Will Greenwood IC 12 Mike Catt LW 11 Ben Cohen FH 10 Jonny Wilkinson SH 9 Matt Dawson N8 8 Lawrence Dallaglio OF 7 Neil Back BF 6 Richard Hill RL 5 Ben Kay LL 4 Martin Johnson (c) TP 3 Phil Vickery HK 2 Steve Thompson LP 1 Trevor Woodman Replacements: HK 16 Dorian West PR 17 Jason Leonard N8 18 Martin Corry FL 19 Lewis Moody SH 20 Kyran Bracken CE 21 Mike Tindall FB 22 Iain Balshaw Coach: Clive Woodward

Third place play-off

20 November 2003

New Zealand	40–13	France
Try: Jack 12' c Howlett 20' c Rokocoko 51' c Thorn 54' c Muliaina 58' c Holah 72' m Con: MacDonald Carter (4)	Report	Try: Elhorga 42' c Con: Yachvili Pen: Yachvili Drop: Yachvili

Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 62,712 Referee: Chris White (England)

FB 15 Mils Muliaina RW 14 Doug Howlett OC 13 Leon MacDonald IC 12 Aaron Mauger LW 11 Joe Rokocoko FH 10 Carlos Spencer SH 9 Steve Devine N8 8 Jerry Collins OF 7 Richie McCaw BF 6 Reuben Thorne (c) RL 5 Ali Williams LL 4 Chris Jack TP 3 Greg Somerville HK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Dave Hewett Replacements: HK 16 Mark Hammett PR 17 Carl Hoeft LK 18 Brad Thorn FL 19 Marty Holah SH 20 Byron Kelleher FH 21 Dan Carter WG 22 Caleb Ralph Coach: John Mitchell

FB 15 Clément Poitrenaud RW 14 Pépito Elhorga OC 13 Tony Marsh IC 12 Damien Traille LW 11 David Bory FH 10 Gérald Merceron SH 9 Dimitri Yachvili N8 8 Christian Labit OF 7 Sébastien Chabal BF 6 Patrick Tabacco RL 5 Thibaut Privat LL 4 David Auradou TP 3 Jean-Baptiste Poux HK 2 Yannick Bru (c) LP 1 Sylvain Marconnet Replacements: HK 16 Raphaël Ibañez PR 17 Jean-Jacques Crenca LK 18 Fabien Pelous FL 19 Olivier Magne FH 20 Frédéric Michalak FH 21 Brian Liebenberg FB 22 Nicolas Brusque Coach: Bernard Laporte

Final

Main article: 2003 Rugby World Cup final

22 November 2003

Australia	17–20 (a.e.t.)	England
Try: Tuqiri 6' m Pen: Flatley (4)	Report	Try: Robinson 38' m Pen: Wilkinson (4) Drop: Wilkinson 100'

Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 82,957 Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

Australia

England

FB 15 Mat Rogers RW 14 Wendell Sailor  71' OC 13 Stirling Mortlock IC 12 Elton Flatley LW 11 Lote Tuqiri FH 10 Stephen Larkham  temp' SH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 David Lyons  57' OF 7 Phil Waugh BF 6 George Smith RL 5 Nathan Sharpe  48' LL 4 Justin Harrison TP 3 Al Baxter HK 2 Brendan Cannon  57 ' LP 1 Bill Young  92' Replacements: HK 16 Jeremy Paul  57' PR 17 Matt Dunning  92' LK 18 David Giffin  48' FL 19 Matt Cockbain  57' SH 20 Chris Whitaker CE 21 Matt Giteau  temp' WG 22 Joe Roff  71' Coach: Eddie Jones

FB 15 Josh Lewsey  86' RW 14 Jason Robinson OC 12 Mike Tindall  79' IC [a] 13 Will Greenwood LW 11 Ben Cohen FH 10 Jonny Wilkinson SH 9 Matt Dawson N8 8 Lawrence Dallaglio OF 7 Neil Back BF 6 Richard Hill  93' RL 5 Ben Kay LL 4 Martin Johnson (c) TP 3 Phil Vickery  81' HK 2 Steve Thompson LP 1 Trevor Woodman Replacements: HK 16 Dorian West PR 17 Jason Leonard  81' N8 18 Martin Corry FL 19 Lewis Moody  93' SH 20 Kyran Bracken CE 21 Mike Catt  79' FB 22 Iain Balshaw  86' Coach: Clive Woodward

Man of the Match: [2] Jonny Wilkinson (England) Touch judges: [3] Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand) Paul Honiss (New Zealand) Television match official: [3] Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) Fourth official: [3] Joël Jutge (France) Fifth official: [3] Alain Rolland (Ireland)

Match rules [4] 80 minutes 20 minutes of extra-time if necessary Penalty shootout if still tied. Seven named eligible substitutes

1. Will Greenwood, for superstitious reasons, prefers to play wearing the number 13 shirt, even when selected to play inside centre. ^[1]

References

1. "Greenwood sticks with lucky 13 despite move inside". ESPNscrum. New Zealand Press Association. 7 July 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
2. Mitchell, Kevin (23 November 2003). "Rugby Union: World Cup Final: Man of the Match". The Observer . p. 2. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021– via Newspapers.com .
3. Jenkins, Graham (22 November 2003). "England clinch World Cup crown". Scrum.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2004. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
4. "Rugby World Cup Final 2003: Rules" . The Independent . 22 November 2003. p. 3. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.