2007 Rugby World Cup squads
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was played in France between 7 September and 20 October 2007. Each of the 20 competing nations was required to confirm their 30-man squad by 14 August. United States player Thretton Palamo, aged 18 when the teams were named and 8 days past his 19th birthday when he made his only appearance in the competition, was the youngest to ever take part at a World Cup final stage.[1]
Pool A
England
Final squad released on 13 August 2007.[2] Jamie Noon was sent home injured on 15 September; he was replaced by Newcastle Falcons team-mate, Toby Flood.[3] After Josh Lewsey was injured in the semi-final against France, Nick Abendanon was called up as cover.[4]
Head coach: 
Brian Ashton
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Samoa
Final squad announced on 29 August 2007.[5]
- Filipo Levi and Donald Kerslake were replaced by Tani Fuga and Alfie Vaeluaga before the tournament[6]
- Sailosi Tagicakibau replaced Anitelia Tuilagi, ahead of the Tonga game.[7]
- Fosi Pala'amo was called in to replace Justin Va'a for the England game.[8]
- Na'ama Leleimalefaga was called into the squad to replace Fosi Pala'amo for the USA game.[9]
Head coach: 
Michael Jones
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
South Africa
Squad released 21 July 2007[10]
Pierre Spies was withdrawn from the squad after developing a condition believed to be a pulmonary embolism, with Bismarck du Plessis taking his place,[11] although one specialist disputed the diagnosis.[12] A third specialist confirmed the original diagnosis, and Spies remained off the team.[13]
On 10 September, after South Africa's match against Samoa, Jean de Villiers was ruled out of the rest of the World Cup with a torn left biceps suffered in that match. Wayne Julies replaced him on the squad.[14]
On 1 October, Jannie du Plessis, older brother of Bismarck du Plessis, replaced BJ Botha, who tore knee ligaments in South Africa's last pool match against the United States.[15]
Head coach: 
Jake White
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Tonga
Squad announced on 10 August 2007[16] Kisi Pulu replaced Mosese Moala, while Maama Molitika was called up to replace Paino Hehea ahead of the England game.[17]
Head coach: 
Quddus Fielea
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
United States
Squad released 14 August 2007[18][19] John van der Giessen was called up to replace Luke Gross.[20]
Head coach: Peter Thorburn
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
The following players are in reserve in case of injury.
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Crick | Hooker | 27 January 1975 | 3 |  Potomac Athletic Club |
| Mike French | Prop | 19 November 1975 | 8 | OMBAC |
| Brian LeMay | Prop | 26 May 1983 | 0 | Boston |
| Chris Moreno | Prop | 23 April 1978 | 0 | Denver Barbarians |
| John van der Giessen | Lock | 6 May 1982 | 0 | Denver Barbarians |
| Tyson Meek | Scrum-half | 21 April 1980 | 4 | Denver Barbarians |
| Andrew Osborne | Fullback | 4 March 1981 | 1 | OMBAC |
Pool B
Australia
Squad announced 23 July 2007.[21] Mark Gerrard was injured in the opening game and replaced by Cameron Shepherd.[22] Morgan Turinui was called up on 1 October 2007 to replace number 8 David Lyons.[23]
Head coach: .svg.png.webp){kind=small}
John Connolly
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
The following players are on reserve in case of injuries in the main squad
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rodney Blake | Prop | 29 April 1983 | 7 | Queensland Reds |
| Tatafu Polota-Nau | Hooker | 26 July 1985 | 3 | Waratahs |
| James Horwill | Lock | 29 May 1985 | 1 | Queensland Reds |
| Alister Campbell | Lock | 17 July 1979 | 4 | Brumbies |
| Matt Cockbain | Flanker | 19 September 1972 | 63 | Melbourne Rebels |
| Jone Tawake | Number 8 | 17 April 1982 | 0 | Brumbies |
| Josh Holmes | Scrum-half | 6 January 1987 | 0 | Brumbies |
| Ryan Cross | Centre | 6 October 1979 | 0 | Western Force |
| Clinton Schifcofske | Wing | 10 November 1975 | 0 | Queensland Reds |
| Sam Norton-Knight | Fullback | 2 December 1983 | 2 | Waratahs |
Canada
Final squad announced 15 August 2007.[24] Josh Jackson replaced Jamie Cudmore who was ruled out with a broken bone in his hand.[25]
Head coach: .svg.png.webp){kind=small}
Ric Suggitt
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Fiji
Final squad announced 22 July 2007.[26][27] Filimoni Bolavucu was ruled out of the tournament and was replaced by Sireli Bobo.[28]
Head coach: 
Ilivasi Tabua
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Japan
Squad released 11 August 2007.[29] Mitsugu Yamamoto replaced by Yusuke Aoki on 21 August.[30] Daisuke Ohata tore his left Achilles tendon in Japan's final warm-up against Portugal, and was replaced by Tomoki Kitagawa.[31]
Head coach: John Kirwan
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
The following players are on reserve in case of injury.
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Takahiro Sugiura | Prop | 4 October 1983 | 1 |  Fukuoka |
| Yuta Inose | Prop | 15 March 1982 | 0 | Green Rockets |
| Taku Inokuchi | Hooker | 5 October 1982 | 1 | Brave Lupus |
| Ryota Asano | Flanker | 25 September 1979 | 20 | Green Rockets |
| James Arlidge | Fly-half | 11 August 1979 | 1 | Docomo |
Wales
Squad announced 10 August 2007[32]
Head coach: 
Gareth Jenkins
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Pool C
Italy
Squad released 16 August 2007.[33] Carlo Del Fava withdrew due to injury on 17 August. Fabio Staibano was originally announced as his replacement, but he was in turn ruled out due to injury. Del Fava was later ruled fit to play, and was restored to the squad on 27 August.[34] Silvio Orlando replaced Robert Barbieri after he was ruled out due to injury in a warm-up game.[35]
Head coach: 
Pierre Berbizier
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
New Zealand
Squad announced 22 July 2007[39]
Head coach: Graham Henry
Portugal
Portugal named their final squad for the tournament on 3 September 2007.[40]
Head coach: 
Tomaz Morais
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Romania
Squad announced 14 August 2007[42]
Head coach: Daniel Santamans
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Scotland
Squad announced 14 August 2007.[43] On 11 September, his 24th birthday, Alasdair Dickinson was called up to the Scotland squad to replace the injured Allan Jacobsen.[44]
Head coach: 
Frank Hadden
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Pool D
Argentina
Squad released 28 July 2007 from Planet-Rugby Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine. Additional information from Unión Argentina de Rugby.
Martín Gaitán was forced to withdraw from the squad on 18 August after it was discovered he had a blocked artery in his heart, and was replaced by Hernán Senillosa.[45] José María Núñez Piossek was forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury on 30 August, and was replaced by Federico Martín Aramburú.[46] Mario Ledesma was forced to withdraw from the squad for the third-place match against France due to injury on 15 October, and was replaced by Eusebio Guiñazú.[47]
Head coach: 
Marcelo Loffreda
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
France
Provisional squad announced 14 June 2007, from Planet-Rugby. Elvis Vermeulen replaced by Thierry Dusautoir due to injury on 21 June Planet-Rugby. Sylvain Marconnet was replaced due to injury by Nicolas Mas on 20 August BBC Sport.
Head coach: Bernard Laporte
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
The following players are on reserve in case of withdrawals from the squad.
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Kayser | Hooker | 26 July 1984 | 0 | Leicester |
| Laurent Emmanuelli | Prop | 19 September 1976 | 0 | Clermont |
| Pascal Papé | Lock | 5 December 1980 | 18 | Castres |
| Grégory Lamboley | Lock | 12 January 1982 | 13 | Toulouse |
| Olivier Magne | Flanker | 11 April 1973 | 90 | London Irish |
| Dimitri Yachvili | Scrum-half | 19 September 1980 | 32 | Biarritz |
| Benjamin Boyet | Fly-half | 8 August 1979 | 3 | Bourgoin |
| Brian Liebenberg | Centre | 19 September 1979 | 12 | Stade Français |
| Jean-Philippe Grandclaude | Centre | 4 August 1982 | 3 | Perpignan |
Georgia
Final squad released on 9 August 2007 from Planet-Rugby, other details from Georgian RFU
Head coach: 
Malkhaz Cheishvili
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Ireland
Squad listed from BBC Sport 12 August 2007, further information from Irish Rugby Football Union.
Head coach: 
Eddie O'Sullivan
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
Namibia
Squad released 18 July 2007 from Planet-Rugby, additional information from Namibian Rugby and South Africa Rugby.
Head coach: 
Hakkies Husselman
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugo Horn | Hooker | 9 May 1977 | 31 | Border |
| Johannes Meyer | Hooker | 19 February 1981 | Wanderers | |
| Jané du Toit | Prop | 2 October 1975 | 20 | Boland |
| Kees Lensing (c) | Prop | 1 June 1978 | 15 | Sharks |
| Johnny Redelinghuys | Prop | 7 February 1984 | 8 | Kimberley Tech |
| Marius Visser | Prop | 24 April 1982 | 17 | Border |
| Nico Esterhuyse | Lock | 5 March 1984 | 26 | Maties RC |
| Domingo Kamonga | Lock | 3 March 1974 | United Rugby Club | |
| Uakazuwaka Kazombiaze | Lock | 25 January 1979 | Western Suburbs | |
| Heino Senekal | Lock | 20 October 1975 | 24 | Cornish Pirates |
| Herman Lintvelt | Flanker | 6 September 1976 | 30 | United Rugby Club |
| Michael MacKenzie | Flanker | 13 September 1983 | 5 | United Rugby Club |
| Jacques Nieuwenhuis | Flanker | 23 March 1980 | 20 | Valke |
| Jacques Burger | Number 8 | 29 July 1983 | 12 | Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne |
| Tinus du Plessis | Number 8 | 20 May 1984 | 26 | Maties RC |
| Eugene Jantjies | Scrum-half | 10 August 1986 | 28 | Western Suburbs |
| Jurie van Tonder | Scrum-half | 9 April 1980 | United Rugby Club | |
| Morné Schreuder | Fly-half | 5 September 1979 | Wanderers | |
| Emile Wessels | Fly-half | 27 June 1979 | Tuggeranong Vikings | |
| Lu-Wayne Botes | Centre | 18 January 1978 | 7 | JHB University |
| Du Preez Grobler | Centre | 8 June 1977 | 23 | United Rugby Club |
| Bratley Langenhoven | Centre | 3 December 1983 | 1 | Pukke |
| Corne Powell | Centre | 27 May 1974 | 25 | Windhoek United |
| Piet van Zyl | Centre | 14 May 1979 | Boland | |
| Melrick Africa | Wing | 18 January 1978 | 19 | Reho Falcons |
| John Drotsky | Wing | 6 June 1984 | 0 | Reho Falcons |
| Deon Mouton | Wing | 29 November 1974 | 23 | Reho Falcons |
| Ryan Witbooi | Wing | 7 September 1985 | 10 | Western Suburbs |
| Heini Bock | Fullback | 28 December 1981 | 11 | Reho Falcons |
| Tertius Losper | Fullback | 22 November 1985 | 5 | Western Suburbs |
Notes and references
- "Thretton takes milestone in his stride". RugbyWorldCup.com. 6 September 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
- RFU
- "Reuters | Breaking International News & Views". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2020-09-04.
- "England call up Abendanon for World Cup final". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2023-06-05.
- Manu Samoa
- BBC Sport
- Manu Samoa
- Manu Samoa
- Manu Samoa
- SA Rugby
- "Springbok Spies to miss World Cup". BBC Sport. 30 July 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
- Keohane, Mark (8 August 2007). "Spies back in Bok picture". Independent Online. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
- "SA Rugby Statement on Pierre Spies". South African Rugby Union. 14 August 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
- "De Villiers out of world cup with torn bicep". International Rugby Board. 10 September 2007. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2007.
- de Koning, Jan (1 October 2007). "Planes, Trains and Bloem Babies". Planet-Rugby.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2007.
- Rugby-World-Cup
- "Molitika gets Tongan Cup call-up". BBC Sport. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
- USA Rugby
- "Planet-Rugby". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
- Scrum
- "rugby.com.au | Wallabies Squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup Announced". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
- "Shepherd earns Wallabies call-up". Australian Rugby Union. 11 September 2007. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2007.
- "Turinui replaces injured Lyons". rugbyworldcup.com. Rugby World Cup. 1 October 2007. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2007.
- Rugby-World-Cup
- "SIRC". Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
- "Planet-Rugby". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
- Teivovo
- "Rugby-World-Cup". Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
- Japan Rugby Football Union
- "Planet-Rugby". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- "Kitagawa replaces Ohata". Rugbyrugby.com. 28 August 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 28 August 2007.
- "Planet-Rugby". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
- "Fijian named in Italy Rugby World Cup squad". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21.
- "Second chance for Del Fava". tvnz.co.nz. 28 August 2007. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- "Italy call up Orlando to replace injured Barbieri". uk.reuters.com. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- Festuccia signed with Racing Métro for the 2007–08 season.
- Lo Cicero signed with Racing Métro for the 2007–08 season.
- Stanojevic has signed with Calvisano for the 2007–08 season.
- "All Blacks reveal World Cup squad". BBC Sport. 22 July 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
- "Debutants Portugal name Cup squad". BBC Sport. 3 September 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2007.
- Mateus has signed with Munster for the 2007–08 season.
- Rugby Rugby
- SRU
- Dickinson called up Scotsman – 11 September 2007
- "Gaitán out of hospital and World Cup". RugbyRugby.com. 22 August 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
- "Otro golpe para los Pumas". La Nación (in Spanish). 30 August 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
- Rugby News Service (15 October 2007). "Argentina call up replacement". Rugby World Cup. Archived from the original on 18 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.