# 2007 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches

Throughout August 2007, various teams prepared for the Rugby World Cup in France with a short series of test matches, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere and involving the RBS Six Nations sides. In addition, South Africa played one test in Scotland following the 2007 Tri Nations and Argentina one test in their home country and one in Wales. The tests were effectively a replacement for the usual Autumn international series in November which does not take place in World Cup years.
Note: this article does not include international results not involving at least one side who had qualified for the 2007 World Cup.

## Saturday, 21 July

* 21 July 2007
| Namibia XV | 42–34 | South Africa Amateurs |
| | Report | |
* H. Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

## Saturday, 28 July

* 28 July 2007
| Namibia XV | 20–32 | South Africa Universities |
| | Report | |
* H. Geingob Stadium,Windoheck
* 28 July 2007
| Portugal XV | 16–19 | London Welsh |
| | Report | |
* Vilamoura

## Thursday, 2 August

* 2 August 2007
| Romania XV | 53–0 | Romania Amateurs |
* Bucharest

## Saturday, 4 August

* 4 August 2007 16:00 BST
| England | 62–5 | Wales |
| Tries: Easter (4) 14' m, 20' c, 46' c, 50' c Borthwick 30' c Dallaglio 66' c Perry 74' c Robinson 78' m Tait 80+1' c Con: Wilkinson (7) Pen: Wilkinson 34' | (Report) | Try: D. James 59' m |
* Twickenham, London Referee: Joël Jutge (France)
* 4 August 2007
| Argentina XV | 70–14 | Chile XV |
| Tries: Serra (2) 8' c, 57' c Longo 29' c J. Fernández Lobbe (2) 33' c, 45' c M. Contepomi 38' c F. Contepomi 50' c Bosch 55' c Gaitán 68' c Scelzo 79' c Con: F. Contepomi (10) | (Report) | Try: Berti 3' c, 17' c Con: Berti (2) |
* CASI, Buenos Aires Referee: Santiago Slinger (Uruguay)
* 4 August 2007
| Portugal XV | 22–20 | Coventry |
* Vilamoura

## Monday, 6 August

* 6 August 2007
| Auch | 20–17 | Georgia XV |
* Auch

## Friday, 10 August

* 10 August 2007
| Japan XV | 69–10 | Asian Barbarians |
| | Report | |
* Chichibu, Tokyo

## Saturday, 11 August

* 11 August 2007
| England | 15–21 | France |
| Pen: Barkley (4) 9', 22', 32', 39' Drop: Gomarsall 56' | (Report) | Try: Pelous 11' m Chabal 70' c Con: Élissalde Pen: Skrela (2) 16', 35' Élissalde 60' |
* Twickenham, London Attendance: 63,251 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
* In this match, Fabien Pelous equalled Philippe Sella for most caps for France, with 111.
* 11 August 2007
| Scotland | 31–21 | Ireland |
| Try: Hogg 5' c Henderson (3) 12' c, 46' m, 75' c E. Murray 19' m Con: Paterson (2) Parks | (Report) | Try: Boss 48' c Trimble 55' m Con: P. Wallace Pen: P. Wallace (2) 10', 59' Murphy 27' |
* Murrayfield, Edinburgh Attendance: 25,127 Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)
* 11 August 2007
| British Columbia | 3–38 | Canada XV |
| | report | |
* 11 August 2007
| Neath RFC | 10–41 | Romania XV |
* The Gnoll, Neath
* 11 August 2007
| Agen Espoirs | 17–6 | Georgia XV |
| | Report | |
* Pont-du-Casse
* 11 August 2007
| Canada Inv. XV | 34–18 | Portugal XV |
* Fletcher's Field, Toronto

## Tuesday, 14 August

* 14 August 2007
| Agen | 31–13 | Georgia XV |
* Sainte-Livrade
* 14 August 2007
| Auckland A | 31–13 | Tonga XV |
* Sainte-Livrade

## Wednesday, 15 August

* 15 August 2007
| South Africa | 105–13 | Namibia |
| Try: de Villiers 11' Smith (3) 18', 34', 70' Pietersen 22' Burger (3) 29', 56', 77' Fourie 39' du Randt 46' Montgomery 50' Willemse 63' du Plessis 73' Pienaar 80' van der Linde 80' Con: Montgomery (12) Pen: Montgomery (2) | (Report) | Try: Langenhoven 8'c Con: Wessels Pen: Wessels (2) |
* Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

## Thursday, 16 August

* 16 August 2007
| Bayonne | 6–42 | Ireland XV |
| | Report | |
* Bayonne

## Friday 17 August

* 17 August 2007
| Harlequins | 22–21 | Samoa XV |
* The Stoop, London

## Saturday, 18 August

* 18 August 2007
| Canada | 42–12 | Portugal |
| Try: Pyke Kleeberger Van der Merwe (2) Mensah-Coker Spicer Con: Pritchard (3) Pen: Pritchard (2) | Report | Try: Mateus J. Pinto Con: Leal |
* Twin Elm Rugby Park, Ottawa
* 18 August 2007
| France | 22–9 | England |
| Try: Jauzion 48' c Con: Élissalde Pen: Élissalde (4) Michalak | (Report) | Pen:Wilkinson (3) |
* Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
* Fabien Pelous set a new France record with his 112th cap.
* 18 August 2007
| Italy | 36–12 | Japan |
| Try: Stanojevic (2) 6' m, 10' c Robertson 20' c Lo Cicero 68' c Mauro Bergamasco 80' c Con: Bortolussi (4) Pen: Bortolussi 3' | (Report) | Try: Nishiura 26' c Makiri 57' m Con: Ando |
* Stadio Perruca, Aosta Attendance: 4,700 Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
* 18 August 2007
| Wales | 27–20 | Argentina |
| Try: G. Thomas 9' c A. W. Jones 22' c M. Jones 25' c Con: Hook (3) Pen: Hook (2) | (Report) | Try: Corleto (2) 4' c, 51' c Con: Todeschini (2) Pen: Todeschini (2) |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 38,284 Referee: Chris White (England)
* 18 August 2007
| Albi | 24–13 | Georgia XV |
| | (Report) | |
* Albi

## Sunday, 19 August

* 19 August 2007
| Northampton Saints | 21–24 | Samoa XV |
| | Report | |
* Northampton

## Tuesday 21 August

* 21 August 2007
| Connacht | 3–18 | South Africa XV |
| | Report | |
* Sportsgrounds, Galway

## Friday, 24 August

* 24 August 2007
| Ireland | 23–20 | Italy |
| Try: Trimble 27' c O'Gara 80+9' c Con: O'Gara (2) Pen: O'Gara (2) 6', 47' Drop: O'Gara 78' | (Report) | Try: Troncon 38' c Pratichetti 80+3' c Con: Bortolussi de Marigny Pen: Bortolussi 33' Drop: Bortolussi 22' |
* Ravenhill, Belfast Attendance: 14,100 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
* 24 August 2007
| Sale Sharks | 7–26 | Samoa XV |
* Sale
* 24 August 2007
| Edinburgh | 14–26 | Tonga XV |
* Edinburgh

## Saturday, 25 August

* 25 August 2007
| Scotland | 3–27 | South Africa |
| Pen: Paterson 10' | (Report) | Try: Habana 22' c Fourie 26' c du Preez 28' c Con: Montgomery (3) Pen: Montgomery (2) 13', 52' |
* Murrayfield, Edinburgh Attendance: 30,342 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
* 25 August 2007
| Portugal | 13 – 15 | Japan XV |
| Try: Diogo Mateus c Con: Duarte Pinto Pen: Malheiro Drop: Malheiro | Report | Try: Watanabe 8' m Asano 72' c Con: Robins Pen: Ono 1' |
* Stadio Comunale, Mogliano Veneto Referee: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
* Japan wing Daisuke Ohata, the all-time world leader in international tries, was injured and was ruled out of the World Cup after he tore his left Achilles tendon in the match.
* 25 August 2007
| Auch | 13–7 | Georgia XV |
* Auch
* 25 August 2007
| Belgium Invitational XV | 8–36 | Argentina XV |
* Brussels
* 25 August 2007
| Eastern Canada | 10–40 | Canada XV |
* 25 August 2007
| Albi | 24–49 | Fiji XV |
* Albi
* 25 August 2007
| United States | 6–10 | Munster |
* Toyota Park, Bridgeview Attendance: 8,260

## Sunday, 26 August

* 26 August 2007
| Wales | 7–34 | France |
| Try: Hook 40' c Con: Hook | (Report) | Try: Thion 13' c Mignoni 32' c Rougerie 56' c Bruno 80' c Con: Beauxis (3) Élissalde Pen: Beauxis (2) |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 49,655 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)