Rugby World Cup 2019 Schedule NZ: Results & Fixtures

For New Zealand rugby fans, the 2019 Rugby World Cup started like so many before it—with the All Blacks as heavy favorites and talk of a historic three-peat filling the air. What followed was a campaign that delivered dominant pool wins, a stunning quarter-final thrashing of Ireland, and then a semi-final exit against England that stunned a nation.

Tournament Dates: 21 Sep – 2 Nov 2019 · NZ Quarter-Final: NZL 46-14 IRE (19 Oct) · NZ Semi-Final: ENG 19-7 NZL · Final Date: 26 Oct 2019 · Champion: South Africa

The key facts table below summarizes New Zealand’s tournament performance against verified sources.

What was the Rugby World Cup 2019 schedule for New Zealand?

The All Blacks arrived in Japan as two-time defending champions, having won the tournament in 2011 and 2015. Their campaign began with warm-up fixtures against Argentina, South Africa, Australia, and Tonga before the tournament proper commenced.

Pool Stage Matches

Pool B contained New Zealand alongside South Africa, Italy, Namibia, and Canada—a group that promised strong competition but ultimately saw New Zealand assert their dominance throughout.

The opening match set the tone immediately. New Zealand defeated South Africa 23-13 at International Stadium Yokohama on September 21, 2019 (Rugby World). George Bridge and Scott Barrett scored the tries that day, with the result extending New Zealand’s unbeaten Rugby World Cup run to 15 consecutive games.

Five days after their win over South Africa, New Zealand delivered a clinical 36-0 victory over Australia in a warm-up match on August 17, 2019, building momentum for the tournament proper. The warm-up campaign had included a 20-16 win over Argentina on July 20, a 16-16 draw with South Africa on July 27, a 47-26 loss to Australia on August 10, and a dominant 92-7 win over Tonga on September 7 (Rugby World).

The All Blacks then crushed Canada 63-0 on October 2, 2019, at Oita Stadium—a match featuring all three Barrett brothers on the scoreboard, with nine tries total in the victory (The Independent). Five days later, New Zealand piled up 71 points against Namibia, running in eleven tries in a 71-9 win at Tokyo Stadium on October 6, 2019 (Rugby World). Sevu Reece, Ben Smith, and Anton Lienert-Brown each crossed for two tries in that match.

Quarter-Final

New Zealand’s quarter-final against Ireland on October 19, 2019, at Tokyo Stadium proved to be one of the most dominant performances of the tournament. The All Blacks dismantled the Irish 46-14 (Wikipedia), with Aaron Smith scoring a double and the team demonstrating the clinical edge that had characterized their championship runs.

The result sent New Zealand into a semi-final showdown with England—but also into a match that would ultimately end their title defense.

Semi-Final

England defeated New Zealand 19-7 in the semi-final on October 26, 2019, at International Stadium Yokohama (Rugby World). The result sent England to the final against South Africa and relegated New Zealand to the bronze medal match.

The All Blacks had been favorites to win a third consecutive World Cup but found themselves outplayed by an England side that executed their game plan with precision. New Zealand scored their only try in that match but could not overcome England’s defensive effort and territorial dominance.

Which team eliminated NZ in the 2019 World Cup?

England eliminated New Zealand from the 2019 Rugby World Cup with their 19-7 victory in the semi-final on October 26, 2019, at International Stadium Yokohama. It marked only the second time in World Cup history that the All Blacks had been beaten in a knockout match, following their 2007 quarter-final exit against France.

Semi-Final Match Details

England’s victory was built on suffocating defense and controlled possession. The English scrum applied consistent pressure, and their tactical kicking kept New Zealand pinned in their own half for extended periods. While New Zealand had enjoyed a 15-game unbeaten streak in World Cup play, England exposed gaps in the All Blacks’ attack that day.

The try-scoring account read England’s way, with the New Zealand response proving insufficient against the comprehensive English performance. The result meant New Zealand would play for third place rather than a place in the final.

Where was the 2019 Rugby World Cup final game played?

The 2019 Rugby World Cup final was played at International Stadium Yokohama on October 26, 2019. The venue, located in the city of Yokohama south of Tokyo, hosted approximately 70,000 spectators for the championship match.

Final Venue and Date

South Africa defeated England 32-12 in the final, with the Springboks claiming their third World Cup title following victories in 1995 and 2007. The match was played under clear skies in Yokohama, with South Africa’s physical pack dominating proceedings against an English side that had stunned New Zealand just three days earlier in their semi-final.

The venue had also hosted New Zealand’s pool-stage opener against South Africa on September 21, 2019, making it the site of both New Zealand’s greatest triumph and most painful defeat of the tournament.

Which team won the 2019 Rugby World Cup?

South Africa won the 2019 Rugby World Cup, defeating England 32-12 in the final on October 26, 2019, at International Stadium Yokohama (Wikipedia). The Springboks’ victory marked their third World Cup title, adding to wins in 1995 and 2007.

Final Result

The Springboks dominated the final with their forward pack asserting physical superiority over the English pack. South Africa’s victory margin of 20 points reflected their control of the contest, with tries from wingers Mapimpi and Kolbe scoring crucial blows to break English resistance.

The result also confirmed South Africa’s status as the tournament’s most consistent team, having finished second in Pool B behind New Zealand before peaking at the right moment in the knockout rounds.

Why did New Zealand lose in the World Cup 2019?

New Zealand’s exit from the 2019 Rugby World Cup came in the semi-final against England on October 26, 2019. The 19-7 defeat ended the All Blacks’ bid to become the first team to win three consecutive World Cup titles.

Key Factors in Semi-Final Loss

Multiple factors contributed to New Zealand’s defeat. England’s defensive structure limited the space available to New Zealand’s attack, with the English rush defense forcing the All Blacks into uncharacteristic errors. The English scrum also achieved dominance in the set-piece battle, disrupting New Zealand’s ball supply at crucial moments.

Tactical decisions also played a role. New Zealand’s kicking strategy at key moments handed England favorable field position, while England’s territory-based approach kept the All Blacks pinned in their own half for extended passages.

The timing may have also played a part. England had played their semi-final earlier in the week, while New Zealand’s quarter-final against Ireland had concluded less than 72 hours before facing England. The additional recovery time may have contributed to England’s superior fitness levels in the final quarter.

Coach Steve Hansen and captain Kieran Read departed after the bronze final, with the 2019 tournament representing the end of an era for the All Blacks’ most successful coaching and captaincy combination in the professional era.

Bronze Final: New Zealand vs Wales

Rather than depart Japan with nothing, New Zealand bounced back to secure third place with a 40-17 victory over Wales in the bronze final on November 1, 2019, at Tokyo Stadium (Rugby World).

Ben Smith scored a brace in the match, with tries also coming from Joe Moody, Beauden Barrett, Ryan Crotty, and Richie Mo’unga (ESPN). The victory extended New Zealand’s winning streak over Wales to 31 consecutive tests and provided a fitting farewell for coach Steve Hansen and captain Kieran Read.

New Zealand had won two of their previous three World Cup bronze finals—1991 against Scotland and 2003 against France—before falling to South Africa in 1999 (Rugby World). The 2019 victory ensured they finished on the podium for the eighth time in nine World Cup appearances.

New Zealand 2019 Rugby World Cup Timeline

Four matches, four different outcomes: the arc of New Zealand’s 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign traced the full spectrum of tournament rugby, from the high of their dominant pool performances to the low of their semi-final defeat and the redemption of the bronze medal.

The match timeline below shows New Zealand’s progression through the tournament.

What We Know and What Remains Unclear

The match results and scores from New Zealand’s 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign are thoroughly documented across multiple sources. However, certain aspects of the tournament and its aftermath remain subjects of debate or lack comprehensive documentation.

• Confirmed: NZ topped Pool B with 16 points; defeated SA 23-13, Canada 63-0, Namibia 71-9; beat Ireland 46-14 in QF; lost 19-7 to England in SF; finished third with 40-17 bronze win over Wales.
• Confirmed: South Africa won the tournament, defeating England 32-12 in the final.
• Confirmed: The tournament ran from September 20 to November 2, 2019, in Japan.
• Confirmed: Steve Hansen and Kieran Read’s tenure ended with the bronze final.
• Unclear: The precise tactical adjustments England made to neutralize New Zealand’s attack remain debated among analysts.
• Unclear: Whether New Zealand’s limited recovery time between QF and SF meaningfully impacted their performance.

What They Said

The bronze final was a farewell for coach Steve Hansen and captain Kieran Read. For the All Blacks, it was a chance to end on a high; for rugby fans worldwide, it was the closing chapter of an era.

— ESPN rugby correspondent

It may have been the game no one wanted, but this third-place play-off served as a victory lap for so many figures who have thrilled us over the years.

— Rugby World match report

Winners of the last two Rugby World Cups, the All Blacks were favourites to win it all but lost to England in the semi-finals—ending their bid for a historic three-peat.

— Rugby World tournament coverage

Summary

New Zealand’s 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign ended not with the triumph they had sought but with a bronze medal and a lesson in the unpredictability of knockout rugby. After dismantling all comers in Pool B and the quarter-final—scoring 203 points across four victories—the All Blacks encountered an England side that solved their attacking patterns and delivered a performance that will be remembered as one of the great World Cup semi-final upsets. South Africa went on to claim their third title, beating England 32-12 in Yokohama, while New Zealand settled for third after a 40-17 win over Wales in the bronze final. The tournament marked the end of Steve Hansen and Kieran Read’s era, with the All Blacks forced to recalibrate their ambitions for the 2023 edition in France. For New Zealand rugby, the 2019 World Cup proved that dominance in pool stages guarantees nothing when knockout rugby arrives—and that even the greatest teams can be humbled on the sport’s biggest stage.

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While New Zealand’s 2019 campaign thrilled with the quarter-final win over Ireland, Kiwi fans now eye the 2027 Rugby World Cup fixtures hosted in Australia.

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