60 Fun Facts About Rugby World Cup

Which two nations co-hosted the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987?

New Zealand staged 21 of the 32 matches, including the final; there was no qualifying and 16 teams were simply invited.

What is the trophy awarded to the men's world champions called?

It is named after the schoolboy who, according to legend, invented rugby by picking up the ball at Rugby School.

Australians nickname the trophy 'Bill'. Who is that a reference to?

The nickname was coined by the 1991 Wallabies, who were the first team to take it home twice.

The trophy's two cast handles are decorated with which pair of heads?

It stands 38 centimetres tall, weighs 4.5 kilograms and is silver gilded in gold.

How many times had the Springboks won the tournament after their 2023 victory?

They won in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023, and were the first nation to reach four titles.

What was the score when the All Blacks beat France in the first final in 1987?

Wales finished third and Australia fourth after conceding late tries in both the semi-final and the play-off.

Which stadium hosted both the 1987 and 2011 finals?

Both finals were between the same two teams, and the hosts won both.

Who captained the All Blacks to the first title in 1987?

The scrum-half later became a Rhodes Scholar and a company chief executive; his team was never seriously troubled.

Which All Black set the record for most points in a single tournament, 126, in 1987?

He also kicked a record 30 conversions that year; his son Ryan became a professional golfer.

The 1985 vote by the international board that finally approved a World Cup passed by what margin?

Ireland and Scotland voted against, and the English and Welsh delegations were split down the middle.

Which debutants beat Wales 16-13 in the 1991 pool stage, sending the hosts of that pool out early?

Wales thus became the first host nation to go out at the pool stage; Canada reached the quarter-finals that year, still their best finish.

Which scrum-half captained the Wallabies to their first title in 1991?

In the quarter-final his side turned down a kickable last-minute penalty against Ireland and Michael Lynagh scored the winning try instead.

Which stadium hosted the finals of both 1991 and 2015?

England lost the first of them 12-6 to a Tony Daly try, and did not even reach the knockout stage of the second.

The 1995 tournament was the first held entirely in one country. Which?

It was also the last major event of the amateur era; the sport went professional two months later.

Who presented the trophy in 1995 wearing a Springbok jersey and cap?

The moment is the climax of John Carlin's book Playing the Enemy and its film adaptation.

Who captained the Springboks to the 1995 title?

All 29 of his caps were as captain; he was dropped in 1996 and finished his career at Saracens.

Whose extra-time drop goal won the 1995 final?

It was the first final to need extra time, and every point was scored by one player per side: 15 by him, 12 by Mehrtens.

Which All Black wing scored four tries against England in the 1995 semi-final?

He was the youngest player ever to appear in a final that year, aged 20 years and 43 days.

Which All Black scored 45 points on his test debut against Japan in 1995?

He landed 20 of 21 conversions in a 145-17 win, then lost his place to Andrew Mehrtens for the next match.

Who scored a record six tries in one World Cup match, against Japan in 1995?

That 145-17 result is still the highest score in the tournament's history.

The 2009 film Invictus, about the 1995 tournament, was directed by whom?

Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon were both Oscar-nominated; the title comes from a William Ernest Henley poem.

The 1999 tournament was the first with how many teams?

The 16-team format lasted from 1987 to 1995; 20 teams stayed until 2023 and 24 arrive in 2027.

The Millennium Stadium, purpose-built for the 1999 tournament, stands in which city?

It cost £126 million and rose on the site of the old National Stadium at the Arms Park.

France reached the 1999 final by overturning a 24-10 deficit against which team in the semi-final?

The 43-31 win at Twickenham is regarded as one of the tournament's all-time classics; France then lost 35-12 in the final.

Who presented the trophy to Wallaby captain John Eales in 1999?

The Wallabies remain the only team to have won after having to come through qualifying.

Which is the only team to have won the World Cup after having to qualify for it, in 1999?

Only the top three from 1995 plus hosts Wales were exempt; a record 63 nations entered qualifying.

Which Springbok kicked a record five drop goals in a single match against England in 1999?

It remains the individual record for one World Cup match; England went out in that quarter-final.

The Wallabies inflicted the Rugby World Cup's biggest margin, 142-0 in 2003, on which team?

Chris Latham scored five of the 22 tries and Mat Rogers kicked 16 conversions at Adelaide Oval.

Who scored the fastest try in World Cup history, after 18 seconds against Romania in 2003?

The same player kicked the two late penalties in the final that dragged the match into extra time.

Whose right-footed drop goal with 28 seconds of extra time left won the 2003 final?

He finished his career with 277 World Cup points, still the all-time record.

Who captained England in the 2003 final, his 84th and last test?

The lock is the only man to have captained the British and Irish Lions twice.

The 2003 final drew a record World Cup crowd of 82,957 in which city?

It was played at the stadium built for the 2000 Olympics; the tournament was meant to be co-hosted with New Zealand until a row over ground signage.

Which South African referee took charge of both the 1999 and 2003 finals?

His scrum penalties in 2003 were widely criticised; a retired civil engineer, he insisted he was happy with his performance.

Which team finished third in 2007 after beating France, Ireland and Scotland?

The run led directly to the Pumas joining the southern-hemisphere championship and turning professional at home.

Which England wing had a try disallowed in the 2007 final for putting a foot in touch?

No try was scored in the match; the Springboks won 15-6 with five penalties.

Which Springbok wing scored eight tries in 2007 to equal the single-tournament record?

He was named world player of the year, and by 2015 had matched the career record of 15 World Cup tries.

Which host city lost its 2011 matches, including two quarter-finals, after a February earthquake?

The quarter-finals moved to Auckland and five pool games were spread around other centres.

What was the score in the 2011 final, the lowest of any World Cup final?

Each side scored one try; the difference was a single penalty from a fourth-choice fly-half.

Which stand-in fly-half kicked the winning penalty in the 2011 final after Carter, Slade and Cruden were hurt?

He had been out of favour and reportedly whitebait fishing when the call came; a TV film, The Kick, told the story.

Which French captain scored his side's only try in the 2011 final?

France were fined for advancing in a V towards the haka; the same thing cost England a fine in 2019.

Which nation beat the Springboks with a last-minute try in 2015, rugby's biggest ever upset?

The winning try was later voted the tournament's best moment; the same team won all four pool games as hosts in 2019.

In which year were hosts England eliminated at the pool stage?

Defeats by Wales and Australia made it the first tournament whose knockout stage had no host nation.

The 2015 final produced the most points of any final. What was the score?

The All Blacks became the first team to retain the trophy and the first to win it three times.

Which typhoon caused the first match cancellations in World Cup history, in 2019?

Three pool matches were recorded as 0-0 draws, including England against France.

Who became the first black man to captain the Springboks and lifted the trophy in 2019?

He was appointed in 2018 in the team's 126th year, and led them to a second title four years later.

The 2019 final was played in which Japanese city?

The new National Stadium in Tokyo was not ready in time, so the final moved to the ground that hosted the 2002 football World Cup final.

Who scored the fastest hat-trick in World Cup history, three tries in 11 minutes against Canada in 2019?

The scrum-half's burst came in a 66-7 pool win in Kobe.

Who was the first player sent off in a World Cup final, in 2023?

The All Blacks captain's yellow card for a high tackle on Jesse Kriel was upgraded to red; the Springboks won 12-11.

By what margin did the Springboks win each of their three knockout matches in 2023?

They beat France 29-28, England 16-15 and the All Blacks 12-11, having lost to Ireland in the pool.

Three brothers from which family started for the All Blacks in the 2023 final?

Beauden also became the first player to score tries in two different finals, in 2015 and 2023.

Which English referee took charge of the 2023 final at a record fifth World Cup?

It was his 111th test match; he retired soon afterwards.

Which nation made its World Cup debut in 2023?

Portugal also returned for a second appearance, 16 years after debuting in the same host country.

Which team lost its 2023 place after fielding a player with a falsified passport during qualifying?

A ten-point deduction handed the berth to Romania, and Portugal took the repechage slot.

The 2027 Rugby World Cup was expanded to how many teams, up from 20?

It was also set to be the first edition officially branded the Men's Rugby World Cup.

Which country was awarded the 2031 men's Rugby World Cup when hosts were named in 2022?

It follows Australia in 2027; the same two countries were also awarded the women's tournaments two years later each time.

The Black Ferns nicknamed the women's trophy after which Second World War hero?

The Black Ferns won that trophy six times before it was replaced for the 2025 tournament in England.

The men's Rugby World Cup Sevens trophy is named after which Scottish town, where sevens was invented?

England won the first tournament in 1993; the event has since given way to the Olympics.

Which All Black lock played a record 26 World Cup matches between 2011 and 2023?

He won two titles and finished with 153 tests.

Who was the first player sent off at a World Cup, a Welsh lock playing the All Blacks in 1987?

Twenty-five players have been red-carded in the tournament since; none twice.

Which crown jewellers created the Webb Ellis Cup in 1906, long before its 1987 adoption?

The 38-centimetre silver-gilt cup is now restored and engraved with each winner's name by Thomas Lyte between tournaments.