2015 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches

The 2015 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches were a series of rugby union test matches that took place in August and September 2015, as the 20 competing teams prepared for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Uruguay Teros vs Argentina XV

For most teams, their preparation kicked off in August after various training camps before the squad announcement deadline date of 31 August. Uruguay were the first to begin their warm-up campaign at the start of August, playing three tests: first against an Argentina XV, and then a two-test series against Japan, before playing an uncapped match against a Basque Selection team. Wales and reigning Six Nations champions Ireland followed suit a week later, with the first game of a home and away series, after which Wales played Italy, just days after they announced their final World Cup team. Hosts England played a home and away test series against France before they played Ireland in London. Both Ireland and France played Scotland at home, while Scotland played a home and away test series against the Italians.

With a reduced 2015 Rugby Championship, participants Argentina hosted South Africa, while reigning World Cup champions New Zealand hosted Australia for the second Bledisloe Cup match of 2015. En route to the World Cup, the Wallabies stopped off in the United States to play their national team for the first time on American soil since 1976. The United States also hosted English club side Harlequins, while they also faced Canada in Ottawa. Canada additionally hosted Pro12 champions Glasgow Warriors, before they faced Georgia and Fiji at a neutral venue in the United Kingdom, which also hosted Georgia's encounter with Japan. Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh, faced Romania, who also took on Tonga for just their second time in their history.

Aside from Harlequins, other English clubs faced international opposition, when Newcastle Falcons faced Georgia, Leicester Tigers faced Argentina, Yorkshire Carnegie played Romania and Wasps hosted Samoa. Samoa were the first international rugby union team to play at the Olympic Stadium in London, when they faced the Barbarians, with most of that team haven played for a World XV side against Japan a week earlier.

Fixtures

edit

Week 1

edit
1 August 2015
15:30 UYT (UTC-03)
Uruguay  30–26  Argentina XV
Try: Bulanti 26' m
Etcheverry 43' c
Con: Ormaechea (1/2) 44'
Pen: Ormaechea (1/1) 8'
Berchesi (5/6) 11', 28', 34', 64', 75'
Report[1]
(In Spanish)
Try: Báez 14' m
Orlando 37' c
Panceyra Garrido 41' c
Paulín 58' c
Con: Novillo (2/3) 38', 42'
Miotti (1/1) 59'
Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo[2]
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Notes:

  • Uruguay awarded caps for this match.
  • This was Uruguay's first ever victory over Argentina, despite it not being a full test match.

Week 2

edit
8 August 2015
14:30 BST (UTC+01)
Wales  21–35  Ireland
Try: Hibbard 36' c
Tipuric 70' c
Cuthbert 80' c
Con: Hook (1/1) 37'
Anscombe (2/2) 71', 80+2'
Report[3]Try: Heaslip 8' m
Cave 22' c
Earls 29' c
Zebo 47' m
Jones 53' m
Con: Jackson (2/5) 22', 30'
Pen: Jackson (2/2) 18', 33'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff[4]
Attendance: 74,000
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Notes:

Week 3

edit
14 August 2015
17:30 BST (UTC+01)
Yorkshire Carnegie  10–10  Romania
Try: Fitzpatrick 69' c
Con: Leonard (1/1) 71'
Pen: Leonard (1/1) 27'
Report[5]Try: Morrison 36' c
Con: Vlaicu (1/1) 37'
Pen: Vlaicu (1/1) 19'
Headingley, Leeds[6]
Referee: Ian Tempest (England)

15 August 2015
19:35 NZST (UTC+12)
New Zealand  41–13  Australia
Try: Coles 21' c
Penalty try 47' c
Nonu (2) 50' c, 64' c
C. Smith 53' c
Con: Carter (5/5) 23', 47', 51', 54', 66'
Pen: Carter (2/3) 17', 28'
Report[7]Try: Folau 76' c
Con: White (1/1) 77'
Pen: Cooper (2/2) 7', 31'
Eden Park, Auckland[8]
Attendance: 48,457
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Notes:


15 August 2015
18:00 JST (UTC+09)
Japan  20–45World XV
Try: Hesketh 13' c
Penalty try 66' c
Con: Goromaru (1/1) 15'
Tatekawa (1/1) 67'
Pen: Goromaru (2/3) 48', 57'
Report[9]Try: Naiyaravoro (3) 20' c, 69' c, 78' m
Ellis (2) 53' c, 59' c
Con: Barnes (3/3) 21', 53', 61'
Harris (1/2) 70'
Pen: Barnes (4/5) 6', 12', 32', 39'
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo[10]
Attendance: 12,740
Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)

15 August 2015
17:00 WEST (UTC+01)
Ireland  28–22  Scotland
Try: Henry 14' c
Cronin 53' c
Zebo 59' c
Fitzgerald 68' c
Con: Madigan (4/4) 15', 55', 60', 70'
Report[11]Try: Cowan 30' c
Pyrgos 43' m
Horne 63' c
Con: Horne (1/2) 32'
Jackson (1/1) 65'
Pen: Horne (1/2) 59'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin[12]
Attendance: 31,780
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)

Notes:


15 August 2015
20:00 BST (UTC+01)
England  19–14  France
Try: Watson (2) 10' c, 17' m
May 45' c
Con: Farrell (2/3) 12', 46'
Report[13]Try: Ouedraogo 60' m
Con: Kockott (0/1)
Pen: Parra (3/3) 6', 25', 32'
Twickenham, London[14]
Attendance: 63,113
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

Notes:


15 August 2015
16:40 ART (UTC-03)
Argentina  12–26  South Africa
Pen: Sánchez (4/4) 14', 33', 38', 51'Report[15]Try: Habana 26' c
Mvovo 29' c
Con: Lambie (2/2) 27', 31'
Pen: Lambie (3/3) 6', 17', 55'
Drop: Lambie (1/1) 42'
Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires[8][16]
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Notes:

Week 4

edit
21 August 2015
18:30 BST (UTC+01)
Edinburgh  31–16  Romania
Try: Grant (3) 20' m, 38' m, 78' c
Du Preez 23' c
Te Rure 62' c
Con: Fowles (1/3) 24'
Te Rure (2/2) 64', 78'
Report[17]Try: Apostol 55' c
Con: Dumbravă (1/1) 56'
Pen: Vlaicu (2/3) 15', 34'
Dumbravă (1/1) 61'
The Greenyards, Melrose[18]
Attendance: 1,300
Referee: Greg Garner (England)

22 August 2015
18:00 JST (UTC+09)
Japan  30–8  Uruguay
Try: Tui (2) 10' c, 65' c
Horie 32' c
Con: Goromaru (3/3) 11', 33', 66'
Pen: Goromaru (3/3) 20', 43', 52'
Report[19]Try: Etcheverry 38' m
Pen: Berchesi (1/1) 15'
Level-5 Stadium, Fukuoka[2]
Attendance: 10,238
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

Notes:

  • This was Japan's first ever win over Uruguay.

22 August 2015
20:00 CEST (UTC+02)
Italy  12–16  Scotland
Pen: Garcia (1/2) 17'
Allan (3/3) 24', 40', 61'
Report[20]Try: Pyrgos 73'
Con: Weir (1/1) 74'
Pen: Weir (3/4) 3', 12', 19'
Stadio Olimpico di Torino, Turin[21]
Attendance: 10,800
Referee: JP Doyle (England)

Notes:


22 August 2015
21:00 CEST (UTC+02)
France  25–20  England
Try: Huget 45' c
Con: Michalak (1/1) 46'
Pen: Spedding (1/1) 3'
Michalak (5/6) 10', 16', 25', 33', 65'
Report[22]Try: Cipriani 71' c
Joseph 77' c
Con: Ford (2/2) 72', 78'
Pen: Ford (2/3) 27', 39'
Stade de France, Saint-Denis[14]
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

Notes:


22 August 2015
16:00 EDT (UTC-04)
Canada  23–41  United States
Try: Paris 47' m
Blevins 56' m
Carpenter 77' c
Con: Hirayama (1/2) 78'
Pen: McRorie (1/2) 3'
Drop: Hirayama (1/1) 17'
Report[23]Try: Peterson 28' c
Durutalo 35' c
Suniula 68' c
Petri 73' c
Dolan 80' c
Con: MacGinty (5/5) 29', 36', 70', 75', 80'
Pen: MacGinty (2/3) 32', 51'
Twin Elm Rugby Park, Ottawa[24]
Attendance: 5,168
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)

Notes:

  • Niku Kruger (United States) made his international debut.
  • This win saw the United States claim their third consecutive win over Canada, setting a new record for their longest winning streak against Canada.
  • 41 points was the most points the United States had ever scored against Canada.

Week 5

edit
28 August 2015
19:30 BST (UTC+01)
Nottingham  14–69  Tonga
Try: Penalty try 29' c
Skelcey 64' c
Con: Rayner (2/2) 30', 65'
Report[25]Try: Veainu 2' c
Fonua (4) 10' c, 39' c, 50' m, 61' m
Helu (2) 20' m, 56' c
Piutau 43' c
Taione 53' c
Takulua (2) 70' c, 78' m
Con: Fosita (6/8) 3', 10', 40', 44', 54', 56'
Takulua (1/3) 71'
Lady Bay Sports Ground, Lady Bay[26]
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Ian Tempest (England)

28 August 2015
19:45 BST (UTC+01)
Newcastle Falcons  27–7  Georgia
Try: Mayhew 15' m
Catterick 43' m
Tait 48' m
McGuigan 70' m
Harris 77' c
Con: Willis (1/3) 78'
Report[27]Try: Gorgodze 53' c
Con: Tsiklauri (1/1) 54'
Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne[28]
Attendance: 2,355
Referee: Lloyd Linton (Scotland)

29 August 2015
18:00 JST (UTC+09)
Japan  40–0  Uruguay
Try: Goromaru 12'
K. Ono 15' c
Broadhurst 25' c
Matsushima 44' c
Tui 50' m
Fukuoka 66' c
Con: Goromaru (5/6) 13', 16', 26', 46', 68'
Report[29]
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo[2]
Attendance: 11,515
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

29 August 2015
14:30 WEST (UTC+01)
Ireland  10–16  Wales
Try: Henderson 40' c
Con: Sexton (1/1) 40'
Pen: Sexton (1/1) 28'
Report[30]Try: Tipuric 23' c
Con: Halfpenny (1/1) 25'
Pen: Halfpenny (3/3) 17', 63', 70'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin[12]
Attendance: 47,430
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Notes:


29 August 2015
15:00 BST (UTC+01)
Barbarians27–24  Samoa
Try: Thomson (2) 1' m, 49' m
Gill 23' c
Tapuai (2) 29' m, 63' m
Con: Lealiifano (1/5) 24' c
Report[31]Try: Perenise 5' c
K. Pisi 34' c
Lam 53' c
Con: T. Pisi (2/2) 6', 35
Nanai-Williams (1/1) 54'
Pen: T. Pisi (1/2) 19'
Olympic Stadium, London[32]
Attendance: 41,039
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

29 August 2015
15:15 BST (UTC+01)
Scotland  48–7  Italy
Try: Lamont (2) 8' c, 61' m
Barclay 38' c
Visser (2) 47' m, 71' c
Bennett 79' m
Con: Laidlaw (2/4) 9', 38'
Russell (1/2) 72'
Pen: Laidlaw (4/4) 4', 22', 26', 55'
Report[33]Try: Campagnaro 29' c
Con: Allan (1/1) 30'
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh[21]
Attendance: 43,831
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Notes:

  • This was Scotland's largest winning margin over Italy of 41 points, surpassing the previous 38 point margin in 2003.
  • The 48 points was also the most points scored by Scotland over Italy.

29 August 2015
15:00 ADT (UTC-03)
Canada  19–12  Glasgow Warriors
Try: Cudmore 15' c
Evans 26' c
Van der Merwe 75' m
Con: Hirayama (2/2) 16', 27'
Report[34]Try: G. Bryce 3' m
Bulumakau 69' c
Con: Wight (1/1) 70'
Graves-Oakley Memorial Park, Halifax[35]
Attendance: 4,812
Referee: Chris Assmus (Canada)

30 August 2015
15:30 EDT (UTC-04)
United States  19–24  Harlequins
Try: Palamo 19' m
Test 80' m
Pen: MacGinty (2/5) 4', 5'
Niua (1/1) 60'
Report[36]Try: Dickson 29' c
Wallace (2) 35' c, 67' c
Con: N. Evans (2/2) 30', 36'
Botica (1/1) 68'
Pen: Botica (1/1) 78'
PPL Park, Chester[37]
Referee: Kurt Weaver (United States)

Week 6

edit
2 September 2015
19:30 BST (UTC+01)
Georgia  15–16  Canada
Try: Tkhilaishvili 28' c
Tsiklauri 74' m
Con: Malaghuradze (1/2) 28'
Pen: Malaghuradze (1/1) 13'
Report[38]Try: Tiedemann 4' c
Con: Hirayama (1/1) 5'
Pen: Hirayama (3/4) 19', 33', 46'
Molesey Road, Esher, Surrey[28]
Referee: JP Doyle (England)

Notes:


5 September 2015
14:30 BST (UTC+01)
England  21–13  Ireland
Try: May 2' c
Watson 13' m
Con: Ford (1/2) 4'
Pen: Ford (1/1) 46'
Farrell (2/2) 72', 77'
Report[39]Try: O'Connell 52' c
Con: Sexton (1/1) 53'
Pen: Sexton (2/2) 7', 49'
Twickenham, London[14]
Attendance: 80,138
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

5 September 2015
15:00 BST (UTC+01)
Leicester Tigers  34–55  Argentina
Try: Brugnara 30' c
Beckett 61' c
Burns 66' c
Odogwu 68' c
Con: Bell (1/1) 30'
Burns (3/3) 62', 67', 69'
Pen: Bell (2/2) 10', 40'
Report[40]Try: Cordero 6' c
Bosch 12' c
Imhoff 20' c
Sánchez 38' c
Montoya 48' m
Agulla (2) 58' m, 80' c
Socino 72' m
Leguizamón 78' m
Con: Sánchez (4/4) 7', 13', 20', 38'
Socino (1/5) 80'
Welford Road, Leicester[41]
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth (England)

5 September 2015
16:30 BST (UTC+01)
Wasps  19–25  Samoa
Try: Hughes 4' m
Wade 27' c
Gaskell 76' c
Con: Gopperth (1/2) 28'
Lozowski (1/1) 77'
Report[42]Try: Levave 51' c
Autagavaia 56' m
Faosiliva 78' c
Con: Stanley (1/2) 51'
Fa’apale (1/1) 80'
Pen: Stanley (2/3) 30', 41'
Ricoh Arena, Coventry[43]
Attendance: 10,898
Referee: Neil Hennesey (Wales)

5 September 2015
16:45 BST (UTC+01)
Japan  13–10  Georgia
Try: Mafi 77' c
Con: Goromaru (1/1) 78'
Pen: Goromaru (2/3) 2', 26'
Report[44]Try: Giorgadze 15' c
Con: Kvirikashvili (1/1) 16'
Pen: Malaghuradze (1/2) 70'
Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester[28]
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

Notes:


5 September 2015
17:00 BST (UTC+01)
Wales  23–19  Italy
Try: North 12' m
Pen: Halfpenny (5/5) 28', 48', 61', 64', 68'
Biggar (1/1) 74'
Report[45]Try: Sarto 2' m
Palazzani 80' m
Pen: Allan (2/2) 9', 31'
Drop: Canna (1/1) 62'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff[4]
Attendance: 52,981
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

5 September 2015
21:00 EEST (UTC+03)
Romania  16–21  Tonga
Try: Rădoi 79' c
Con: Vlaicu (1/1) 80'
Pen: Vlaicu (3/3) 30', 38', 58'
Report[46]Try: Penalty try 26' c
Takulua 69' m
Con: Morath (1/2) 27'
Pen: Morath (3/4) 40' 62', 73'
Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest[6]
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)

Notes:


5 September 2015
21:00 CEST (UTC+02)
France  19–16  Scotland
Try: Nakaitaci 72'
Con: Parra (1/1) 73'
Pen: Michalak (3/4) 17', 30', 43'
Spedding (1/1) 58'
Report[47]Try: Seymour 60' c
Con: Laidlaw (1/1) 61'
Pen: Laidlaw (3/3) 8', 21', 40'
Stade de France, Saint-Denis[21]
Attendance: 47,200
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)