document_title: 2015 Rugby World Cup

question_text: where was the 2015 rugby union world cup held

question_tokens: where was the 2015 rugby union world cup held

text: 2015 Rugby World Cup

text: Bids[edit]

text: Submission of interest[edit]

text: The International Rugby Board (IRB) requested that any member unions wishing to host this tournament or the 2019 Rugby World Cup should indicate their interest by 15 August 2008. This would be purely to indicate interest; no details had to be provided at this stage. A record ten unions indicated formal interest in hosting the 2015 and/or the 2019 events: Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Russia, Scotland, South Africa and Wales.[5] Argentina had been reported in early 2008 as having given preliminary consideration to bidding,[6] but did not ultimately formally indicate an interest in bidding.

text: Of the 10 nations that had expressed formal interest, many withdrew their candidacy in early 2009. Jamaica was the first to withdraw its candidacy.[7] Russia withdrew in February 2009 to concentrate on bidding for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens,[8] Australia and Ireland withdrew in spring 2009 due to financial reasons.[9][10] Scotland withdrew in April 2009 after they were unable to secure co-hosting partners for the tournament.[11] Wales was the last nation to officially pull out after they failed to submit a bid by 8 May 2009,[12] but Wales backed England's bid and some games were played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.[13]

text: Final bids[edit]

text: The final nations that bid for the right to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup were England, Japan, South Africa and Italy. Four confirmed bids was a record number for the Rugby World Cup.[7]

text: On 28 July 2009, the IRB confirmed that England would host the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and Japan would host the 2019 event,[14][15] having voted 16–10 in favour of approving the recommendation from Rugby World Cup Ltd (RWCL) that England and Japan should be named hosts.[nb 2][17] RWCL chairman Bernard Lapasset revealed the result on 28 July 2009 at IRB headquarters.[14]

text: England[edit]

text: In September 2007, The Guardian reported that the Rugby Football Union had decided to submit a bid. BBC News reported in February 2009 that the intent was for a solo bid from the RFU, but with the possibility of some matches being played in Scotland, Wales or Ireland.[18] It was hoped that the 2015 World Cup would add to Britain's "Decade of Sport" (including the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games).

text: It was also claimed that the bid had a very strong chance of success due to the IRB's belief that the 2011 tournament might make a loss, therefore making it particularly important to ensure a profit, which was considered a strong point of England's proposed bid.[19] The chief executive of the Rugby Football Union, Francis Baron, said that the tournament would target sales of 3 million tickets. England's package was projected to generate £300m for the IRB – £220m in commercial returns from broadcasting, sponsorship and merchandising, and the £80m tournament fee.[14]

text: Italy[edit]

text: Italy stated its desire to host,[20] and an Italian bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015 or 2019 was confirmed on 20 July 2008. Italy declared that it wanted to host "For the Enlargement of the Frontiers of Our Sport". It was a slogan relevant to the then-current landscape of World Cup rugby, given that 2007 was the first time that the Rugby World Cup was hosted by a primarily non-English-speaking country.

text: The Italian bid offered the largest cities and stadiums in the country and promised a fast domestic train system. The Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) also included the importance of the population and the growth of rugby since Italy joined the Six Nations in 2000 as reasons for hosting a World Cup. Rugby had been growing increasingly popular in Italy in recent years, with improved crowds at international matches.

text: The Stadio Olimpico in Rome had been proposed as the venue to host the final and the first match of the tournament. Milan and Naples were included as the other large venues. The entire list was a selection of large stadiums spread across the country. Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, France was also included as the tenth proposed venue.

text: Japan[edit]

text: The Japan Rugby Football Union officially submitted its tender to the IRB in May 2009.[21] Japan was seen as a favourite to host after finishing as runner-up in the bidding for the 2011 event.[21] Japan was seen as having a lot to offer rugby's growth in Asia.[citation needed] Its population of 127 million, its large economy, and its ability to place rugby before a new Asian audience made it a front-runner for hosting rights.[citation needed] Furthermore, rugby in Japan had developed a following, and with 126,000 registered players, Japan had more players than some of the Six Nations.[citation needed] Japan's Top League was a showcase for Japanese rugby, and there was excitement about Japan's entry into the RWC.[citation needed] Japan's experience in co-hosting the 2002 FIFA World Cup was also seen as a boost, with Japan already possessing the necessary stadiums and infrastructure.[citation needed]

text: South Africa[edit]

text: The South African Rugby Union (SARU) had confirmed its intent to bid for the 2015 tournament,[22] and in May 2009 South Africa delivered its application to the IRB.[23] South Africa had previously made an unsuccessful bid to host the 2011 RWC. The strengths of a South African bid would be that it is in the same time zone as Europe, the wealthiest television market from a rugby perspective, that South Africa were the current World Cup holders, that they had successfully hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup, won the 2007 Rugby World Cup and that they were in the process of building large new stadiums for the then-upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup.

text: Venues[edit]

text: After England were appointed tournament hosts on 28 July 2009, the proposed stadia for the tournament were revealed. The final venues were confirmed, along with the tournament's schedule, on 2 May 2013.[24] Twelve of the stadia were located in England, while the Millennium Stadium located in Wales was also to be used. In 2011, the IRB approved the use of the Millennium Stadium, despite being outside of the host country, due to its capacity and strategic location.[25] Of the thirteen venues, two were dedicated rugby union grounds (Kingsholm Stadium and Sandy Park), two were national rugby stadia (Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium), two were multi-purpose stadia (Wembley Stadium and Olympic Stadium), and the remainder were association football grounds.[26]

text: Proposed venues that did not make the final selection were the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, Coventry's Ricoh Arena, St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, Pride Park Stadium in Derby, Anfield in Liverpool and Bristol's Ashton Gate.[27] In April 2013, Old Trafford was withdrawn from consideration by its owners, Manchester United F.C., citing commitments to hosting rugby league and its Super League Grand Final and concerns about pitch degradation. The RWCL then approached neighbouring Manchester City about leasing their home stadium as a replacement. City agreed to let their stadium be used for the tournament but only for one match due to footballing commitments – down from the original three which were to be played at Old Trafford.[28] Etihad Stadium, as it was known for football sponsorship purposes, would be called 'Manchester City Stadium' by organisers for the duration of the tournament.[29]

text:
London
 London
 London
 Cardiff

Wembley Stadium
Twickenham
Olympic Stadium
Millennium Stadium

Capacity: 90,000
Capacity: 85,000
Capacity: 56,000
Capacity: 74,154

 Newcastle

Wembley

Olympic Stadium

Twickenham

Villa Park

Brighton Community Stadium

Manchester City Stadium

Sandy Park

Millennium Stadium

Kingsholm Stadium

Elland Road

Leicester City Stadium

Stadium mk

St James' Park

Location of the 13 stadia to host rugby matches at the 2015 IRB World Cup announced on 2 May 2013

 Manchester

St James' Park
Manchester City Stadium

Capacity: 52,409
Capacity: 55,097[30]

 Birmingham
 Leeds

Villa Park
Elland Road

Capacity: 42,785
Capacity: 37,914

 Leicester
 Brighton
 Milton Keynes
 Gloucester
 Exeter

Leicester City Stadium
Brighton Community Stadium
Stadium mk
Kingsholm Stadium
Sandy Park

Capacity: 32,312
Capacity: 30,750
Capacity: 30,717
Capacity: 16,500
Capacity: 12,300

text: Source: The Telegraph[31]

text: Team bases[edit]

text: The 41 venues that acted as team bases for the competing nations were announced on 26 August 2014.[32] All prospective team bases were subject to a rigorous selection process, which included an expansive and detailed programme of site visits as well as liaison with the competing Rugby World Cup 2015 teams. Each team base would consist of an outdoor and indoor training facility, a swimming pool, gym and hotel and would be used by the competing teams in the lead up to and during the World Cup.

text:
[show]Team
Venue(s)

 Argentina
St George's Park
Haileybury School
Cheltenham RFC (Cheltenham RFC, Leisure@, Gym 66)

 Australia
Dulwich College
University of Bath

 Canada
Leicester Grammar School
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Swansea University (Swansea University, Wales National Pool)
West Park Leeds RUFC (West Park Leeds RUFC, John Charles Centre for Sport)

 England
Pennyhill Park Hotel
Salford (AJ Bell Stadium, Irlam & Cadishead Leisure Centre)

 Fiji
Swansea University (Swansea University, Wales National Pool)
London Irish RFC (London Irish RFC, Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex)
Milton Keynes & MK Dons (Woughton on the Green, Bletchley Leisure Centre)

 France
The Vale Resort
Trinity School, Croydon

 Georgia
Woodbury Park & Bicton College (Woodbury Park Hotel & Golf Club, Bicton College)
Bristol & SGS Wise (South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre)
Celtic Manor Resort & Newport (Newport High School/Active Living Centre, The Celtic Academy)

 Ireland
St George's Park
Surrey Sports Park
Sport Wales National Centre
Celtic Manor Resort & Newport (Newport High School/Active Living Centre, The Celtic Academy)

 Italy
Surrey Sports Park
Cobham RFC (Cobham RFC, ACS Cobham)

 Japan
Warwick School
Brighton College

 Namibia
Loughborough University
Cobham RFC (Cobham RFC, ACS Cobham)
Plymouth (St Mark & St John Uni., Plymouth RFC, Plymouth Life Centre & Royal Navy RU)

 New Zealand
Sport Wales National Centre
The Lensbury & St Mary's University
Darlington Mowden Park RFC (Darlington Mowden Park RFC, Middlesbrough FC)

 Romania
Dulwich College
Woodbury Park & Bicton College (Woodbury Park Hotel & Golf Club, Bicton College)
Sutton Coldfield RFC (Sutton Coldfield RFC, Birmingham Met. College, Wyndley Leisure Centre, CrossFitB76)

 Samoa
Milton Keynes & MK Dons (Woughton on the Green, Bletchley Leisure Centre)
University of Brighton (University of Brighton, Prince Regent Swimming Complex)
Gateshead (Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead Leisure Centre, Gateshead College)
Sutton Coldfield RFC (Sutton Coldfield RFC, Birmingham Met. College, Wyndley Leisure Centre, CrossFitB76)

 Scotland
Hartpury College
Newcastle Royal Grammar School
Leeds Metropolitan University & University of Leeds

 South Africa
University of Birmingham
The Lensbury & St Mary's University
Eastbourne College & University of Brighton
Gateshead (Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead Leisure Centre, Gateshead College)

 Tonga
University of Exeter
Loughborough University
University of Northumbria
Cheltenham RFC (Cheltenham RFC, Leisure@, Gym 66)

 United States
Hartpury College
Haileybury School
Royal Navy Rugby Union
Leeds Trinity University (Leeds Trinity University, Kirkstall Leisure Centre)

 Wales
The Vale Resort
London Irish RFC (London Irish RFC, Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex)

 Uruguay
Moulton College
Loughborough University
Manchester (Broughton Park RUFC, The Hough End Centre, Manchester Aquatics Centre)
Celtic Manor Resort & Newport (Newport High School/Active Living Centre, The Celtic Academy)

Knock-out phase
The Vale Resort
London Irish RFC
Surrey Sports Park
Swansea University
Pennyhill Park Hotel
Sport Wales National Centre
Celtic Manor Resort & Newport
The Lensbury & St Mary's University

text: Qualifying[edit]

text: Of the 20 teams competing at the 2015 World Cup, 12 of them qualified by finishing in the top three places in their pools in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The other eight teams qualified through regional competition. As the host nation, England qualified automatically. The qualification process for the remaining teams incorporated existing regional competitions such as the European Nations Cup.[33]

text: Qualified teams[edit]

text: Twenty teams played in the final tournament. They are listed below, along with their pre-tournament positions in the World Rugby Rankings.[34] The list of teams was the same as in the 2003 tournament.

text:
Asia Rugby (1)

 Japan (13)

Rugby Africa (2)

 South Africa (3)
 Namibia (20)

Sudamérica Rugby (2)

 Argentina (8)
 Uruguay (19)

NACRA (2)

 Canada (18)
 United States (15)

Rugby Europe (8)

 England (4)
 France (7)
 Georgia (16)
 Ireland (6)
 Italy (14)
 Romania (17)
 Scotland (10)
 Wales (5)

Oceania Rugby (5)

 Australia (2)
 Fiji (9)
 New Zealand (1)
 Samoa (12)
 Tonga (11)

  Country qualified for World Cup
  Country failed to qualify
  Country not an IRB member

text: Draw[edit]

text: Seedings for the pools of the 2015 World Cup were based on the teams' respective IRB Rankings. The draw, hosted by Will Greenwood, was conducted on 3 December 2012 in London, and used the World Rankings as of that day, just after the 2012 end-of-year rugby union internationals, which finished on 1 December 2012.[35] The 12 automatic qualifiers from 2011 were allocated to their respective bands based on their rankings:

text:
Band 1, made up of the top 4 automatic qualifiers, (1–4)
Band 2, made up of the next 4 automatic qualifiers, (5–8)
Band 3, made up of the next 4 automatic qualifiers (9–12)

text: The remaining 8 qualifying places were allocated to Bands 4 and 5, based on previous World Cup playing strength;

text:
Band 4, made up of Oceania 1, Europe 1, Asia 1 and Americas 1
Band 5, made up of Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2 and play-off winner

text: This meant the 20 teams, qualified and qualifiers, were seeded thus:

text:
Pot 1

 New Zealand (1)
 South Africa (2)
 Australia (3)
 France (4)

Pot 2

 England (5)
 Ireland (6)
 Samoa (7)
 Argentina (8)

Pot 3

 Wales (9)
 Italy (10)
 Tonga (11)
 Scotland (12)

Pot 4

 Canada (Americas 1)
 Japan (Asia 1)
 Georgia (Europe 1)
 Fiji (Oceania 1)

Pot 5

 Namibia (Africa 1)
 United States (Americas 2)
 Romania (Europe 2)
 Uruguay (Repechage)

text: The draw saw a representative randomly draw a ball from a pot, the first drawn ball goes to Pool A, the second Pool B, the third Pool C and the fourth Pool D. The draw began with Pot 5, drawn by All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, followed by Pot 4, drawn by RWC 2015 Ambassador Maggie Alphonsi, then Pot 3, drawn by Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Pot 2, drawn by the then Chief Executive for RWC 2015 Debbie Jevans, and finally Pot 1, drawn by IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.

text: Draw criticism[edit]

text: The timing of the draw drew criticism due to the long period between the draw occurring and the commencement of the tournament - three years.[36] Indeed, by the time of the pool match between England and Wales on 26 September, pool A contained the 2nd, 3rd and 4th (Australia, England and Wales) ranked teams in the world.[37] Following England's elimination at the pool stage after defeats by Australia and Wales—making them the first sole host nation and the first former champion not to reach the knockout stage[38]—Wales coach Warren Gatland noted that "Everyone is making a thing about the first home country to hold a World Cup to miss out on the quarter-finals, but the stupid thing, as we all know, is why was the World Cup draw done three years ago? That's just ridiculous as far as I am concerned. If they had followed the football model, then we wouldn't be in this position. There are other people outside this who need to have a look at themselves and why those decisions were made, and you have got to feel sorry for the people involved and who this has affected".[39] The chief executive of World Rugby Brett Gosper subsequently acknowledged criticisms, saying "We’ll look at that next time to see if it’s possible to make the draw closer to the tournament".[40]

text: Squads[edit]

text: Each country was allowed a squad of 31 players for the tournament. These squads were to be submitted to World Rugby by a deadline of 31 August 2015. Once the squad was submitted, a player could be replaced if injured, but would not be allowed to return to the squad. There was also a stand-down period of 48 hours before the new player was allowed to take the field. Hence, a replacement player called into a squad on the eve of a game would not be permitted to play in that game.[41]

text: Pool stage[edit]

text: The first round, or pool stage, saw the 20 teams divided into four pools of five teams, using the same format that was used in 2003, 2007, and 2011. Each pool was a single round-robin of ten games, in which each team played one match against each of the other teams in the same pool. Teams were awarded four points for a win, two points for a draw and none for a defeat. A team scoring four tries in one match scored a bonus point, as did a team that lost by fewer than eight points.[42]

text:
Pool A
Pool B
Pool C
Pool D

 Australia
 England
 Wales
 Fiji
 Uruguay

 South Africa
 Samoa
 Scotland
 Japan
 United States

 New Zealand
 Argentina
 Tonga
 Georgia
 Namibia

 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Canada
 Romania

text: The teams finishing in the top two of each pool would advance to the quarter-finals. The top three teams of each pool received automatic qualification to the 2019 Rugby World Cup (Japan had already automatically qualified as hosts).[43]

text: If two or more teams were tied on match points, the following tiebreakers would apply:[44]

text:
The winner of the match between the two teams;
Difference between points scored for and points scored against in all pool matches;
Difference between tries scored for and tries scored against in all pool matches;
Points scored in all pool matches;
Most tries scored in all pool matches;
Official World Rugby Rankings as of 12 October 2015.

tag: ol

text: If three teams were tied on points, the above criteria would be used to decide first place in the Pool, and then the criteria would be used again (starting from criteria 1) to decide second place in the Pool.

text:
Key to colours in pool tables

v
t
e

Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2019 Rugby World Cup

Eliminated but qualified for 2019 Rugby World Cup

text: Pld = Number of games played; W = Number of games won; D = Number of games drawn; L = Number of games lost; TF = Number of tries scored (Tries For); PF = Number of points scored in the game (Points For); PA = Number of points scored against the team (Points Against); +/– = The difference, PF – PA; BP = Bonus (pool) points ; Pts = Total number of (pool) points.

text: Pool A[edit]

text:
Team

v
t
e

Pld
W
D
L
TF
PF
PA
+/−
BP
Pts

 Australia
4
4
0
0
17
141
35
+106
1
17

 Wales
4
3
0
1
11
111
62
+49
1
13

 England
4
2
0
2
16
133
75
+58
3
11

 Fiji
4
1
0
3
10
84
101
–17
1
5

 Uruguay
4
0
0
4
2
30
226
–196
0
0

text:
18 September 2015
England
35–11
 Fiji
Twickenham Stadium, London

20 September 2015
Wales
54–9
 Uruguay
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

23 September 2015
Australia
28–13
 Fiji
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

26 September 2015
England
25–28
 Wales
Twickenham Stadium, London

27 September 2015
Australia
65–3
 Uruguay
Villa Park, Birmingham

1 October 2015
Wales
23–13
 Fiji
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

3 October 2015
England
13–33
 Australia
Twickenham Stadium, London

6 October 2015
Fiji
47–15
 Uruguay
Stadium mk, Milton Keynes

10 October 2015
Australia
15–6
 Wales
Twickenham Stadium, London

10 October 2015
England
60–3
 Uruguay
Manchester City Stadium, Manchester

text: Pool B[edit]

text:
Team

v
t
e

Pld
W
D
L
TF
PF
PA
+/−
BP
Pts

 South Africa
4
3
0
1
23
176
56
+120
4
16

 Scotland
4
3
0
1
14
136
93
+43
2
14

 Japan
4
3
0
1
9
98
100
–2
0
12

 Samoa
4
1
0
3
7
69
124
–55
2
6

 United States
4
0
0
4
5
50
156
–106
0
0

text:
19 September 2015
South Africa
32–34
 Japan
Brighton Community Stadium, Brighton

20 September 2015
Samoa
25–16
 United States
Brighton Community Stadium, Brighton

23 September 2015
Scotland
45–10
 Japan
Kingsholm, Gloucester

26 September 2015
South Africa
46–6
 Samoa
Villa Park, Birmingham

27 September 2015
Scotland
39–16
 United States
Elland Road, Leeds

3 October 2015
Samoa
5–26
 Japan
Stadium mk, Milton Keynes

3 October 2015
South Africa
34–16
 Scotland
St. James' Park, Newcastle

7 October 2015
South Africa
64–0
 United States
Olympic Stadium, London

10 October 2015
Samoa
33–36
 Scotland
St. James' Park, Newcastle

11 October 2015
United States
18–28
 Japan
Kingsholm, Gloucester

text: Pool C[edit]

text:
Team

v
t
e

Pld
W
D
L
TF
PF
PA
+/−
BP
Pts

 New Zealand
4
4
0
0
25
174
49
+125
3
19

 Argentina
4
3
0
1
22
179
70
+109
3
15

 Georgia
4
2
0
2
5
53
123
–70
0
8

 Tonga
4
1
0
3
8
70
130
–60
2
6

 Namibia
4
0
0
4
8
70
174
–104
1
1

text:
19 September 2015
Tonga
10–17
 Georgia
Kingsholm, Gloucester

20 September 2015
New Zealand
26–16
 Argentina
Wembley Stadium, London

24 September 2015
New Zealand
58–14
 Namibia
Olympic Stadium, London

25 September 2015
Argentina
54–9
 Georgia
Kingsholm, Gloucester

29 September 2015
Tonga
35–21
 Namibia
Sandy Park, Exeter

2 October 2015
New Zealand
43–10
 Georgia
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

4 October 2015
Argentina
45–16
 Tonga
Leicester City Stadium, Leicester

7 October 2015
Namibia
16–17
 Georgia
Sandy Park, Exeter

9 October 2015
New Zealand
47–9
 Tonga
St. James' Park, Newcastle

11 October 2015
Argentina
64–19
 Namibia
Leicester City Stadium, Leicester

text: Pool D[edit]

text:
Team

v
t
e

Pld
W
D
L
TF
PF
PA
+/−
BP
Pts

 Ireland
4
4
0
0
16
134
35
+99
2
18

 France
4
3
0
1
12
120
63
+57
2
14

 Italy
4
2
0
2
7
74
88
–14
2
10

 Romania
4
1
0
3
7
60
129
–69
0
4

 Canada
4
0
0
4
7
58
131
–73
2
2

text:
19 September 2015
Ireland
50–7
 Canada
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

19 September 2015
France
32–10
 Italy
Twickenham Stadium, London

23 September 2015
France
38–11
 Romania
Olympic Stadium, London

26 September 2015
Italy
23–18
 Canada
Elland Road, Leeds

27 September 2015
Ireland
44–10
 Romania
Wembley Stadium, London

1 October 2015
France
41–18
 Canada
Stadium mk, Milton Keynes

4 October 2015
Ireland
16–9
 Italy
Olympic Stadium, London

6 October 2015
Canada
15–17
 Romania
Leicester City Stadium, Leicester

11 October 2015
Italy
32–22
 Romania
Sandy Park, Exeter

11 October 2015
France
9–24
 Ireland
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

text: Knockout stage[edit]

text:
Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

17 October – London (Twickenham)

  South Africa
 23

24 October – London (Twickenham)

  Wales
 19

  South Africa
 18

17 October – Cardiff

  New Zealand
 20

  New Zealand
 62

31 October – London (Twickenham)

  France
 13

  New Zealand
 34

18 October – Cardiff

  Australia
 17

  Ireland
 20

25 October – London (Twickenham)

  Argentina
 43

  Argentina
 15
Third place

18 October – London (Twickenham)

  Australia
 29

30 October – London (Olympic)

  Australia
 35

  South Africa
 24

  Scotland
 34

  Argentina
 13

text: Quarter-finals[edit]

text:
17 October 2015
16:00 BST (UTC+01)

text:
South Africa
23–19
 Wales

Try: Du Preez 75' m
Con: Pollard (0/1)
Pen: Pollard (5/7) 9', 13', 17', 21', 62'
Drop: Pollard 52'
Report[45]
Try: G. Davies 18' c
Con: Biggar (1/1) 19'
Pen: Biggar (3/4) 15', 47', 64'
Drop: Biggar 40'

text:
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 79,572
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

text:
17 October 2015
20:00 BST (UTC+01)

text:
New Zealand
62–13
 France

Try: Retallick 11' c
Milner-Skudder 23' c
Savea (3) 29' c, 38' m, 59' c
Kaino 50' m
Read 64' c
Kerr-Barlow (2) 68' c, 71' c
Con: Carter (7/9) 12', 25', 31', 60', 65', 68', 72'
Pen: Carter (1/1) 7'
Report[46]
Try: Picamoles 36' c
Con: Parra (1/1) 37'
Pen: Spedding (1/1) 9'
Parra (1/2) 15'

text:
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 71,619
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

text:
18 October 2015
13:00 BST (UTC+01)

text:
Ireland
20–43
 Argentina

Try: Fitzgerald 26' c
Murphy 44' c
Con: Madigan (2/2) 27', 45'
Pen: Madigan (2/4) 20', 53'
Report[47]
Try: Moroni 3' c
Imhoff (2) 10' c, 73' c
Tuculet 69' c
Con: Sánchez (4/4) 5', 10', 70', 74'
Pen: Sánchez (5/6) 13', 22', 51', 64', 77'

text:
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,316
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

text:
18 October 2015
16:00 BST (UTC+01)

text:
Australia
35–34
 Scotland

Try: Ashley-Cooper 9' m
Mitchell (2) 30' m, 43' c
Hooper 40' m
Kuridrani 64' c
Con: Foley (2/5) 44', 65'
Pen: Foley (2/2) 54', 80'
Report[48]
Try: Horne 18' c
Seymour 59' m
Bennett 74' c
Con: Laidlaw (2/3) 19', 75'
Pen: Laidlaw (5/5) 14', 21', 34', 47', 69'

text:
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 77,110
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

text: Semi-finals[edit]

text:
24 October 2015
16:00 BST (UTC+01)

text:
South Africa
18–20
 New Zealand

Pen: Pollard (5/5) 3', 11', 21', 39', 58'
Lambie (1/1) 69'
Report[49]
Try: Kaino 6' c
Barrett 52' c
Con: Carter (2/2) 9', 53'
Pen: Carter (1/2) 60'
Drop: Carter 46'

text:
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 80,090
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

text:
25 October 2015
16:00 GMT (UTC+00)

text:
Argentina
15–29
 Australia

Pen: Sánchez (5/5) 7', 24', 36', 45', 55'
Report[50]
Try: Simmons 2' c
Ashley-Cooper (3) 10' c, 32' m, 72' c
Con: Foley (3/4) 3', 11', 73'
Pen: Foley (1/2) 48'

text:
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 80,025
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

text: Bronze final[edit]

text:
30 October 2015
20:00 GMT (UTC+00)

text:
South Africa
24–13
 Argentina

Try: Pietersen 6' c
Etzebeth 43' m
Con: Pollard (1/2) 7'
Pen: Pollard (4/5) 14', 33', 40', 48'
Report[51]
Try: Orlandi 80' c
Con: Sánchez (1/1) 80'
Pen: Sánchez (1/1) 52'
Drop: Sánchez 42'

text:
Olympic Stadium, London
Attendance: 55,925
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

text: Final[edit]

text:
31 October 2015
16:00 GMT (UTC+00)

text:
New Zealand
34–17
 Australia

Try: Milner-Skudder 39' c
Nonu 42' m
Barrett 79' c
Con: Carter (2/3) 40', 80'
Pen: Carter (4/4) 8', 27', 36', 75'
Drop: Carter 70'
Report[52]
Try: Pocock 53' c
Kuridrani 64' c
Con: Foley (2/2) 54', 65'
Pen: Foley (1/1) 14'

text:
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 80,125
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

text: Awards[edit]

text: During the 2015 World Rugby Awards, Japan's final try and victory against South Africa was named the World Cup best match moment, while Rugby World Cup sponsors Société Générale unveiled their dream team, made up of the best performing players of the Tournament.[53]

text: 2015 Rugby World Cup dream team[54]

text:
Pos

Player

FB
15
 Ayumu Goromaru

RW
14
 Nehe Milner-Skudder

OC
13
 Conrad Smith

IC
12
 Matt Giteau

LW
11
 Julian Savea

FH
10
 Dan Carter

SH
9
 Greig Laidlaw

Pos

Player

N8
8
 David Pocock

OF
7
 Schalk Burger

BF
6
 Mamuka Gorgodze

RL
5
 Leone Nakarawa

LL
4
 Eben Etzebeth

TP
3
 Ramiro Herrera

HK
2
 Stephen Moore

LP
1
 Marcos Ayerza

text: Statistics[edit]

text:
Top points scorers

Player
Team
Points

Nicolás Sánchez
 Argentina
97

Handré Pollard
 South Africa
93

Bernard Foley
 Australia
82

Dan Carter
 New Zealand
82

Greig Laidlaw
 Scotland
79

Ayumu Goromaru
 Japan
58

text: The top point scorer of the entire tournament was Argentine fly-half Nicolás Sánchez with 97, from one try, 13 conversions, 20 penalties and two drop goals.[55] New Zealand wing Julian Savea scored the most tries, eight, equalling the record for one tournament set by his compatriot Jonah Lomu and South African Bryan Habana.[56]

text: Match officials[edit]

text: World Rugby named the following twelve referees, seven assistant referees, and four television match officials to handle the pool stage games:[57]

text:
Referees

 Wayne Barnes (England)
 George Clancy (Ireland)
 JP Doyle (England)
 Jérôme Garcès (France)
 Pascal Gaüzère (France)
 Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
 Craig Joubert (South Africa)
 John Lacey (Ireland)
 Nigel Owens (Wales)
 Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
 Romain Poite (France)
 Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Assistant referees

 Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
 Stuart Berry (South Africa)
 Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
 Angus Gardner (Australia)
 Leighton Hodges (Wales)
 Marius Mitrea (Italy)
 Mathieu Raynal (France)

Television match officials

 George Ayoub (Australia)
 Graham Hughes (England)
 Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
 Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

text: Media coverage[edit]

text: ITV Sport was the UK and worldwide host broadcaster for the 2015 event, having signed a deal in 2011 to broadcast the 2011 and 2015 RWC tournaments. ITV won the rights after outbidding rivals including the BBC and Sky Sports.[58] It showed every match from the tournament live in the UK on ITV or ITV4.[59]

text:
Country or region
Broadcaster
Broadcasting

Africa1
SuperSport[60][61]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Argentina
ESPN Extra
All 48 matches broadcast live.

TV Pública
All Argentina matches, plus opening, semi-final and final matches.

Australia
Fox Sports[60][61]
All 48 matches broadcast live[62]

Nine Network[60][61]
All Australian matches, some other pool games and all knockout games free-to-air live

Azerbaijan
Turkey
Tivibu Spor
45 matches live (excluding Tonga v Georgia, Wales v Fiji and France v Canada at the pool stage)

Brazil
ESPN Brasil[60][63]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Canada
TSN[60][64]
All 48 matches live on either TSN, TSN2 or TSN.ca

RDS[60][64]
Rights to a select number of matches in French

Caribbean
Central America2
Mexico
South America3
ESPN[60][63]
At least 16 matches (all Argentina and Uruguay matches, plus all knockout stages matches with the bronze final and the final).

China
CCTV[60][63]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Czech Republic
Slovakia
Pragosport/Česká televize[60]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Fiji
Fiji TV[60][65]
All 48 matches broadcast live

FBC TV[65]
All 48 matches broadcast live free to air

France and French Overseas Territories
TF1[60][66]
21 matches, including all French matches, the best pool stage matches, all quarter-finals, both semi-finals, the bronze final and the final

Canal+[60][66]
27 matches that will not be broadcast by TF1

Georgia
1TV[60]
All 48 matches broadcast live[62]

Hungary
Digi Sport[60]
More than 40 matches broadcast live

India
Sony SIX
All 48 matches broadcast live

Ireland
TV3[60][67]
3e
All 48 matches broadcast live. TV3 began broadcasting in HD just before the competition.

Israel
Sport1
TBA

Italy
Sky Sport[60][68]
All 48 matches broadcast live, and delay at 11 pm of Italy matches, a quarter-final, a semi-final and the final on TV8.

Japan
J Sports[60]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Nippon TV[60]
Japanese commentary of all Japanese pool-stage matches, 2 quarter-finals, both semi-finals, the bronze final and the final.

NHK[60]
Free to air coverage of 16 matches, including all Japanese matches, the opening match, 2 quarter-finals, both semi-finals, the bronze final and the final.

Latvia
Best 4 Sport TV[60]
All 48 matches live or on delay and repeat

Netherlands
RTL 7[69]
Total of 24 matches live

New Zealand
Sky Sport[61]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Poland
Polsat Sport[70]
All 48 matches broadcast live or on delay

Portugal
Sport TV[60]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Romania
Digi Sport[71]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Russia
Peretz[72]
More than 30 matches broadcast delay on TV and live on internet

Samoa
Sky Pacific (Fiji TV)[60]
All 48 matches broadcast live

South Asia
Sony SIX[73][74]
All 48 matches broadcast live with sister channel Sony Kix.[74]

Sri Lanka
Channel Eye[75]
All 48 matches live or on delay and repeat (Free to air)

South Africa
SABC[76]
SuperSport[77]
29 live matches, including all South African matches, and 7 delayed matches
All 48 matches broadcast live with repeats and highlights

Spain
Canal+ Deportes (Movistar+)[78][79]
All 48 matches broadcast live

Tonga
Sky Pacific (Fiji TV)[60]
All 48 matches broadcast live

United Kingdom
ITV Network[61]
All 48 matches live on either ITV, STV (Scotland), UTV (Northern Ireland) or ITV4

BBC Radio[80]
Live radio commentary for all 48 games.
Radio Cymru broadcast live commentary of all Wales games in Welsh[81]

S4C[82]
All Wales matches live in Welsh, the opening match, one quarter-final and one semi-final, the bronze final and the final

United States
Universal Sports
NBC[83] & Univision
All 48 matches live online in the US for a cost of $199.99.
Live coverage of nine matches between the two broadcasters – four USA pool matches, opening match, both semi-finals, bronze final and the final.

Uruguay
Teledoce
Only Uruguay matches

text:
1 Except British Indian Ocean Territory - Chagos Archipelago, Cape Verde, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, North Africa, Réunion, Somalia, South Sudan and Tristan da Cunha.
2 Except Belize.
3 Except Brazil and South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

text:
Television network
Country or Region
Broadcasting

Canal+ Africa
Francophone Central and West Africa
All 48 matches live on Canal+ Sport 3

Eurosport[84]
Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland
20 matches live, including opening match and final

Fox Sports Asia[85]
Cambodia, China (Via STAR Sports), Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea (Via STAR Sports Korea), Macau, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia
All 48 matches broadcast live

Fiji TV[60]
Cook Islands, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Niue, Nauru, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Northern Marianas, Tokelau, Tahiti, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Palau and Federated States of Micronesia. Papua New Guinea, Wallis and Futuna, Nouvelle Calédonie, Îles Éparses, Polynésie Française.
All 48 matches broadcast live
[62]

OSN[60]
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia, UAE
All 48 matches broadcast live or on delay

TF1[60]
Monaco
21 matches, including all French matches, the best pool stage matches, all quarter-finals, both semi-finals, the bronze final and the final

Viaplay, Viasat[86]
Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden
All 48 matches broadcast live on OTT Service Viaplay, with selected games on Viasat Sport

text: Video game[edit]

text: The officially-licensed Rugby World Cup 2015 video game was released on 4 September 2015 on PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.[88] IGN rated the game 1.5/10, calling it "unbearable".[89]

text: Tickets[edit]

text: Ticket prices were announced in November 2013 with general sale applications launching in September 2014.[90] Adult ticket prices started at £15 for pool matches and children's tickets were available from £7 at 41 of the 48 matches. Tickets for the World Cup final ranged from £150 to £715.[91]


document_title: Appointment and confirmation to the Supreme Court of the United States

question_text: how many votes to approve supreme court justice

root

text: Nomination[edit]

text: Article Two of the United States Constitution requires the President of the United States to nominate Supreme Court Justices and, with Senate confirmation, requires Justices to be appointed. This was for the division of power between the President and Senate by the founders, who wrote:

tag: p

text: he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint ... Judges of the supreme Court...

text: Upon the election of a new President, incoming White House staff prepare profiles of possible candidates for the Supreme Court, considering not only judges but also politicians and other individuals whom they consider appropriate for the role. Besides considering national figures whose views are well-known, they consider others who are less recognized. They go through published rulings, articles, speeches, and other background material to get an idea of candidates' values and views on constitutional issues. Age, health, race, gender, and likelihood of confirmation are also factored into considerations. Once a Supreme Court vacancy opens, the President discusses the candidates with advisors. Senators also call the President with suggestions. After a first choice is decided, the candidate is contacted and called on by the President to serve on the highest court. Staffers send a vetting form for the candidate to fill out. They visit the candidate to go over tax records and payments to domestic help. Candidates whom the President has never met are interviewed by White House officials before being sent to the White House to be interviewed in person by the President. After making a final decision, the President calls the candidate, who is told to prepare a statement for an appearance in front of the national press for the President's formal announcement.

text: Most Presidents nominate individuals who broadly share their ideological views.[1] In many cases, however, a Justice's decisions may be contrary to what the nominating President anticipated. A famous instance was Chief Justice Earl Warren; President Dwight D. Eisenhower expected him to be a conservative judge, but his decisions are arguably among the most liberal in the Court's history. Eisenhower later called the appointment "the biggest damn fool mistake I ever made".[2] Another Justice whose decisions ran contrary to what was believed to be his ideology was David Souter, who was nominated to the high court in 1990 by President George H. W. Bush. Many pundits and politicians at the time expected Souter to be a conservative; however, after becoming a Justice, his opinions generally fell on the liberal side of the political spectrum.

text: Because the Constitution does not set any qualifications for service as a Justice, the President may nominate any individual to serve on the Court. However, that person must receive the confirmation of the Senate.

text: Confirmation[edit]

text: In modern times, the confirmation process has attracted considerable attention from special-interest groups, many of which lobby senators to confirm or to reject a nominee, depending on whether the nominee's track record aligns with the group's views. The Senate Judiciary Committee conducts hearings, questioning nominees to determine their suitability. By convention, nominees avoid revealing too much about their views on potential cases that may come before the Court. At the close of confirmation hearings, the Committee votes on whether the nomination should go to the full Senate with a positive, negative or neutral report.

text: The Committee's practice of personally interviewing nominees is relatively recent, beginning with Harlan Fiske Stone in 1925. Some western senators were concerned with his links to Wall Street and expressed their opposition when Stone was nominated. Stone proposed what was then the novelty of appearing before the Judiciary Committee to answer questions; his testimony helped secure a confirmation vote with very little opposition. The second nominee to appear before the Committee was Felix Frankfurter, who only addressed (at the Committee's request) what he considered to be slanderous allegations against him.[3] The modern practice of the Committee questioning nominees on their judicial views began with the nomination of John Marshall Harlan II in 1955; the nomination came shortly after the Court handed down the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, and several Southern senators attempted to block Harlan's confirmation, hence the decision to testify.[4][5]

text: Once the Committee reports out the nomination, the whole Senate considers it. A simple majority vote is required to confirm or to reject a nominee. Prior to 2017, a successful filibuster threat could add the requirement of a supermajority of 60 needed in favor of cloture, which would allow debate to end and force a final vote on confirmation. Rejections are relatively uncommon; the Senate has explicitly rejected twelve Supreme Court nominees in its history. The most recent rejection of a nominee by vote of the full Senate came in 1987, when the Senate refused to confirm Robert Bork.

text: Not everyone nominated by the President has received a floor vote in the Senate. Prior to 2017 a nominee could be filibustered once debate on the nomination had begun in the full Senate. A filibuster indefinitely prolongs the debate, preventing a final vote on the nominee. President Lyndon Johnson's nomination of sitting Associate Justice Abe Fortas to succeed Earl Warren as Chief Justice in 1968 was the first successful filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee. It included both Republican and Democratic senators concerned with Fortas's ethics. President Donald Trump's nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the seat vacated by Antonin Scalia was the second. Unlike the Fortas filibuster, however, only Democratic Senators voted against cloture on the Gorsuch nomination, citing his perceived conservative judicial philosophy, and the Republican majority's prior refusal to take up Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy.[6][7][8] This led the Republican majority to change the rules and eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nominations.[9]

text: Not every Supreme Court nominee has received a floor vote in the Senate. A president may withdraw a nomination before an actual confirmation vote occurs, typically because it is clear that the Senate will reject the nominee; this occurred most recently with the nomination of Harriet Miers in 2006 before Committee hearings had begun, citing concerns about Senate requests during her confirmation process for access to internal Executive Branch documents resulting from her position as White House Counsel. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan withdrew the nomination of Douglas H. Ginsburg because of news reports containing marijuana use allegations.

text: The Senate may also fail to act on the nomination, which expires at the end of the session. For example, President Dwight Eisenhower's first nomination of John Marshall Harlan II in November 1954 was not acted on by the Senate; Eisenhower re-nominated Harlan in January 1955, and Harlan was confirmed two months later. Most recently, the Senate failed to act on President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland in March 2016 to fill the vacancy left by the death of Antonin Scalia; the nomination expired in January 2017, and the vacancy was later filled by President Trump's appointment of Neil Gorsuch.[10]

text: Before 1981 the approval process of Justices was usually rapid. From the Truman through Nixon administrations, Justices were typically approved within one month. From the Reagan administration to the present, however, the process has taken much longer. According to the Congressional Research Service, the average number of days from nomination to final Senate vote since 1975 is 67 days (2.2 months), while the median is 71 days (or 2.3 months).[11][12] Some believe this is because Congress sees Justices as playing a more political role than in the past.[13] The perceived politicization of the process has drawn criticism. For example, columnist George F. Will termed the defeat of Robert Bork's nomination "unjust" and, more generally, that the nomination process does "not delve deeply into the nominee's jurisprudential thinking."[14] Supreme Court nominations have caused media speculation about whether the judge leans to the left, middle, or right.[15] One indication of the politicized selection process is how much time each nominee spends being questioned under the glare of media coverage; before 1925, nominees were never questioned;[16] after 1955, every nominee has been required to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee and answer questions; and the hours spent being grilled have lengthened from single digits (before 1980) to double digits today.[17] Another example of the politicization of the process was the Merrick Garland Supreme Court nomination, which remained before the Senate far longer than any other nominee.

text: Following is a table of the approximate number of hours that media sources estimate were spent on the questioning of Supreme Court nominees since 1925:

text:
Year
Nominee
# Hours

1925
Harlan Fiske Stone
7000500000000000000♠5

1938
Felix Frankfurter
–

1955
John Marshall Harlan II
–

1957
William J. Brennan, Jr.
7000300000000000000♠3

1967
Thurgood Marshall
7000700000000000000♠7

1971
William H. Rehnquist
7000700000000000000♠7

1975
John Paul Stevens
7000600000000000000♠6

1981
Sandra Day O'Connor
7001120000000000000♠12

1987
Robert Bork (not confirmed)
7001300000000000000♠30

1987
Anthony Kennedy
7001110000000000000♠11

1990
David H. Souter
7001200000000000000♠20

1991
Clarence Thomas
7001250000000000000♠25

1993
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
7001200000000000000♠20

1994
Stephen G. Breyer
7001200000000000000♠20

2005
John G. Roberts, Jr.
7001200000000000000♠20

2016
Merrick Garland (not confirmed)
5000000000000000000♠0

2017
Neil Gorsuch
7001200000000000000♠20

Sources: The New York Times (2005, 2009), MSNBC (2005)[3][4][17]

tag: table

text: Once the Senate confirms the nomination by an affirmative vote, the Secretary of the Senate attests to a resolution of confirmation and transmits it to the White House.[18] The President then prepares and signs a commission, and causes the Seal of the United States Department of Justice to be affixed to the document before the new Justice can take office.[19] The date of commission determines a Justice's seniority.[20] A ceremony is held in which the Justice must take the Constitutional Oath, which is used for every federal and state officeholder below the President, and the Judicial Oath used for federal judges before entering into the execution of their office.

text: Recess appointments[edit]

text: Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution provides that:

text: The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

text: Thus, when the Senate is in recess, the President may make a temporary appointment to any office requiring Senate approval, including filling vacancies on the Supreme Court, without the Senate's advice and consent. Such a recess appointee to the Supreme Court holds office only until the end of the next Senate session (always less than two years). To continue to serve thereafter and be compensated for his or her service, the nominee must be formally nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Of the ten Justices who have received recess appointments - two Chief Justices and eight Associate Justices - only Chief Justice John Rutledge was not subsequently confirmed for a regular appointment. No president since Dwight Eisenhower (who made three such appointments) has made a recess appointment to the Supreme Court and the practice has become highly controversial even when applied to lower federal courts. During the 110th Congress, the Democratic leadership of the Senate specifically blocked Republican President George W. Bush from making any recess appointments with the use of pro forma sessions.

text: In 1960 the Senate passed a resolution stating that it was the sense of the Senate that recess appointments to the Supreme Court should not be made except under unusual circumstances.[21] Being a resolution, it has no legally binding effect, but was intended as an expression of the position of the Senate and as a guide to executive actions. The resolution passed by a vote of 48 to 37, mainly along party lines.[21] [22]

text: Following is a list of recess appointments that have been made to the Supreme Court:[23]

text:
Justice
Appointed by
Date of
Appointment
Date of
Nomination
Date of
Senate action
Senate
action

Johnson, ThomasThomas Johnson
Washington
000000001791-08-05-0000August 5, 1791
000000001791-10-31-0000October 31, 1791
000000001791-11-07-0000November 7, 1791
Confirmed

Rutledge, JohnJohn Rutledge
(as Chief Justice)
Washington
000000001795-07-01-0000July 1, 1795
000000001795-12-10-0000December 10, 1795
000000001795-12-15-0000December 15, 1795
Rejected

Washington, BushrodBushrod Washington
J. Adams
000000001798-09-29-0000September 29, 1798
000000001798-12-19-0000December 19, 1798
000000001798-12-20-0000December 20, 1798
Confirmed

Livingston, Henry BrockholstHenry Brockholst Livingston
Jefferson
000000001806-11-10-0000November 10, 1806
000000001806-12-15-0000December 15, 1806
000000001806-12-17-0000December 17, 1806
Confirmed

Thompson, SmithSmith Thompson
Monroe
000000001823-09-01-0000September 1, 1823
000000001823-12-05-0000December 5, 1823
000000001823-12-09-0000December 9, 1823
Confirmed

McKinley, JohnJohn McKinley
Van Buren
000000001837-04-22-0000April 22, 1837
000000001837-09-18-0000September 18, 1837
000000001837-09-25-0000September 25, 1837
Confirmed

Woodbury, LeviLevi Woodbury
Polk
000000001845-09-20-0000September 20, 1845
000000001845-12-23-0000December 23, 1845
000000001846-01-03-0000January 3, 1846
Confirmed

Curtis, Benjamin RobbinsBenjamin Robbins Curtis
Fillmore
000000001851-09-22-0000September 22, 1851
000000001851-12-11-0000December 11, 1851
000000001851-12-20-0000December 20, 1851
Confirmed

Davis, DavidDavid Davis
Lincoln
000000001862-10-17-0000October 17, 1862
000000001862-12-01-0000December 1, 1862
000000001862-12-08-0000December 8, 1862
Confirmed

Warren, EarlEarl Warren
(as Chief Justice)
Eisenhower
000000001953-10-02-0000October 2, 1953
000000001954-03-01-0000March 1, 1954
000000001954-03-01-0000March 1, 1954
Confirmed

Brennan, Jr., William J.William J. Brennan, Jr.
Eisenhower
000000001956-10-15-0000October 15, 1956
000000001957-01-14-0000January 14, 1957
000000001957-03-19-0000March 19, 1957
Confirmed

Stewart, PotterPotter Stewart
Eisenhower
000000001958-10-14-0000October 14, 1958
000000001959-01-17-0000January 17, 1959
000000001959-12-05-0000December 5, 1959
Confirmed

text: Tenure and vacancies[edit]

text: The ability of a president to appoint new justices depends on the occurrence of a vacancy on the Court. The Constitution provides that justices "shall hold their offices during good behavior" (unless appointed during a Senate recess). The term "good behavior" is well understood to mean Justices may serve for the remainder of their lives, although they can voluntarily resign or retire. A Justice can also be removed by Congressional impeachment and conviction. However, only one Justice has been impeached by the House (Samuel Chase, in 1805) and he was acquitted in the Senate. Moves to impeach sitting justices have occurred more recently (for example, William O. Douglas was the subject of hearings twice, once in 1953 and again in 1970), but they have not reached a vote in the House. No mechanism presently exists for removing a Justice who is permanently incapacitated by illness or injury, both unable to resign and unable to resume service.[24]

text: Because Justices have indefinite tenure, it is impossible to know when a vacancy will next occur. Sometimes vacancies arise in quick succession, as in the early 1970s when Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. and William H. Rehnquist were nominated to replace Hugo Black and John Marshall Harlan II, who retired within a week of each other. Sometimes a great length of time passes between nominations such as the eleven years between Stephen Breyer's nomination in 1994 and the departures of Chief Justice Rehnquist and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (by death and retirement, respectively) in 2005 and 2006.

text: It is also theoretically possible for Congress to create additional vacancies by expanding the Court itself. The United States Constitution does not specify the size of the Supreme Court, but in Article III it authorizes the Congress to fix the number of justices. The Judiciary Act of 1789 called for the appointment of six justices. As the country grew geographically, Congress increased the number of justices to correspond with the growing number of judicial circuits. In 1807, the court was expanded to seven members, allowing Thomas Jefferson to appoint Thomas Todd as a new Justice. The expansion to nine members in 1837 allowed Andrew Jackson to appoint John Catron, and Martin Van Buren to appoint John McKinley; and the addition of a tenth seat in 1863 allowed Abraham Lincoln to name Stephen Johnson Field to the Court. However, at the request of Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, Congress passed the Judicial Circuits Act (1866) which provided that the next three justices to retire would not be replaced; thus, the size of the Court should have eventually reached seven by attrition. Consequently, one seat was removed in 1866 and a second in 1867. However, this law did not play out to completion, for in the Judiciary Act of 1869,[25] also known as the Circuit Judges Act, the number of justices was again set at nine, where it has since remained. The new seat created in 1869 was filled the following year by Ulysses S. Grant's appointment of Joseph P. Bradley - the last justice to be appointed to a newly created seat on the Court.

text: President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to expand the Court in 1937, seeking to appoint an additional justice for each incumbent justice who reached the age of 70 years 6 months and refused retirement; under Roosevelt's proposal, such appointments would continue until the Court reached a maximum size of 15 justices. Ostensibly, the proposal was made to ease the burdens of the docket on the elderly judges, but the President's actual purpose was to pack the Court with justices who would support New Deal policies and legislation.[26] This plan, usually called the "Court-packing Plan", failed in Congress and proved a political disaster for Roosevelt.[27] The balance of the Court shifted with the retirement of Willis Van Devanter and the confirmation of Hugo Black in August 1937. By the end of 1941, Roosevelt had appointed seven Supreme Court justices and elevated Harlan Fiske Stone to Chief Justice.[28]

text: Despite the variability, nearly all Presidents so far have been able to appoint at least one Justice. The four exceptions are William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson, and Jimmy Carter. Harrison died a month after taking office, though his successor (John Tyler) made an appointment during that presidential term. Taylor likewise died early in his presidential term, although his successor (Millard Fillmore) also made a Supreme Court nomination before the end of that term. Johnson was denied the opportunity to appoint a Justice by a contraction in the size of the Supreme Court, which Congress may dictate. Jimmy Carter is the only President who completed at least one full term in office without making a nomination to the Court during his presidency.