Rugby World Cup 2021 quarter-final race reaches fever pitch

• The final round of Rugby World Cup 2021 pool phase matches takes place this weekend on Saturday 22 October at Northland Events Centre and Sunday 23 October at Waitākere Stadium in New Zealand
• New Zealand, England and Canada have already guaranteed their place in the quarter-finals
• All nine other teams are still in contention for the five remaining knock-out spots which will be determined following the final pool phase match this Sunday 23 October
• Quarter-final draw to be announced by 2130 NZT (GMT+13) on Sunday 23 October

Rugby World Cup 2021 enters the final round of pool phase matches this weekend to determine the highly anticipated quarter-final positions.

While New Zealand, England and Canada have each booked their quarter-final spot already, the nine remaining nations are still in contention and the competition for placings could not be fiercer.

CLICK HERE FOR A GUIDE TO THE QUARTER-FINAL PERMUTATIONS>>

The seeding for the last eight will not be decided until the final match of the pool phase is completed on Sunday 23 October at Waitākere Stadium. The quarter-final draw will then be announced detailing the times and locations of each of the four knock-out matches.

Following the end of the pool phase, the eight teams that have made the quarter-finals will be ranked from one to eight, with the three pool winners seeded first to third, runners-up fourth to sixth and the two best third-placed teams seventh and eighth.

The number of match points accumulated during the pool phase will be used to classify the teams from first to third, from fourth to sixth and from seventh to eighth. In the event of a tie on match points the difference between points scored and points conceded will be used to determine the seeding between the teams.

The top seed will then play the eighth in the quarter-finals, the second will face the seventh, third will take on sixth and the fourth will meet fifth.

Of the three teams to have booked their place in the quarter-finals ahead of this weekend’s deciders, only New Zealand are mathematically guaranteed to finish top of their pool. The Black Ferns currently have the best record of the pool leaders – ahead of Canada on points difference.

The teams in a pool are ranked one through four based on their match points. If at the completion of the pool phase, two teams in a pool are level on match points, the winner of the match in which the two tied teams played each other shall be the higher ranked in the pool. If more than two teams are tied the difference between points scored for and points scored against in all pool matches shall determine the pool rankings.  

The quarter-finals are scheduled to take place at Whangārei’s Northland Events Centre on Saturday 29 October at 16:30 NZT and 19:30 NZT, and Waitākere Stadium on Sunday 30 October at 13:30 NZT and 16:30 NZT. Hosts New Zealand will play their quarter-final match at 1930 NZT on Saturday 29 October at Northland Events Centre.