2011 Rugby World Cup, New Zealand

Damage caused by the 2011 Christchurch earthquake forced the relocation of a number of cup matches, including the quarter finals.
• Warm-up matches
The 2011 Tri Nations Series was shortened to include only six games instead of the usual nine. It served as the primary preparation for the tournament for Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. In the northern hemisphere, a series of friendlies played in August 2011 replaced the annual tours to the southern hemisphere. North American entrants Canada beat USA in two warm-up friendlies in August 2011.