The William Webb Ellis Trophy, the main prize of the Rugby Union World Cup

The Rugby World Cup is the premier international Rugby Union contest in the world, first held jointly in Australia and New Zealand in 1987, a full 33 years after the first Rugby League World Cup and now held every four years. The prize is the "William Webb Ellis Trophy" (known in Australia as "Bill") named after the pupil of Rugby School credited, probably apocryphally, with the game's invention. It is currently held by England, who are currently the only northern hemisphere nation to hold the world cup. Image File history File links Webb_Ellis_Trophy. ... Image File history File links Webb_Ellis_Trophy. ... Statue of William Webb Ellis outside Rugby School William Webb Ellis (November 24, 1806 - January 24, 1872) is often credited with the invention of Rugby football. ... Image from a test-match between Ireland and the New Zealand All Blacks. ... The original World Cup, first lifted in 1954 by Great Britain The Rugby League World Cup, is a tournament in which a number of the strongest rugby league nations participate in, to determine which nation is supreme in the sport. ... Statue of William Webb Ellis outside Rugby School William Webb Ellis (November 24, 1806 - January 24, 1872) is often credited with the invention of Rugby football. ... A view of Rugby School from the rear, including the playing field, where according to legend Rugby was invented Rugby School, located in the town of Rugby in Warwickshire, is one of the oldest public schools in the United Kingdom and is perhaps one of the top co-educational boarding...

Winners summary

3rd placed teams The first Rugby Union World Cup took place in New Zealand and Australia in 1987, and was won by New Zealand. ... David Edward Kirk (born 5 October 1961 in Wellington) is a former New Zealand rugby player best known for having been the captain of the All Blacks when they won the inaugural Rugby Union World Cup in 1987. ... Results of The 1991 Rugby World Cup. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK... Nick Farr-Jones is a former rugby union player from Australia. ... Bob Dwyer (born 29 November 1940) coached Australia to victory at the 1991 Rugby Union World Cup. ... England Rugby is the name of the English national rugby union team. ... 1995 Rugby Union World Cup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Jacobus Francois Pienaar (born 2 January 1967 in Vereeniging, South Africa) captained and played flanker for the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks from 26 June 1993 until 10 August 1996. ... Results of the 1999 Rugby World Cup The fourth Rugby World Cup broke new ground as for the first time the big eight nations did not qualify automatically. ... For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom and England, see British Isles (terminology). ... John Eales (born 27 June 1970) is a former Australian rugby union footballer who played lock for Queensland Reds and Australia. ... Rod Macqueen was the Head Coach for the Australian Rugby Union Team. ... The 2003 Rugby Union World Cup was the fifth world cup in rugby history. ... England Rugby is the name of the English national rugby union team. ... Martin Johnson Martin Osborne Johnson CBE (born 9 March 1970) is a former England rugby union player and captain. ... Sir Clive Ronald Woodward (born 6 January 1956 at Ely in Cambridgeshire) is a former English rugby union international who was the coach of the England rugby union team from 1997 to 2004. ... The 2007 Rugby Union World Cup will be the sixth world cup in rugby history, hosted by France in the autumn of 2007. ... The 2011 Rugby Union World Cup will be the seventh time this tournament has been held. ...

• 1987 Wales
• 1991 New Zealand
• 1995 France
• 1999 South Africa
• 2003 New Zealand

History

Rugby Union World Cup was originally thought up in late 1983, when the Australian Rugby Union and the New Zealand Rugby Football Union each independently wrote to the International Rugby Board seeking to conduct a World Cup tournament. 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. ... The New Zealand Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in New Zealand. ... The International Rugby Board (IRB), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the world governing and law-making body for the game of Rugby Union (as opposed to Rugby League—see the respective entries for differences between the two). ...

In 1985 the IRB approved for the inaugural Rugby Union World Cup to be jointly staged in Australia and New Zealand during May and June of 1987.

Nominally hosted by England and Wales, respectively, the 1991 and 1999 tournaments had games spread over the UK, Ireland and France.

The 1995 Cup, hosted and won by South Africa, will probably be most remembered for two moments—the emergence of Jonah Lomu as a rugby superstar, and the trophy presentation. In one of the most emotional moments in sports history, President Nelson Mandela wore a Springbok jersey and matching baseball cap when presenting the trophy to the team's Afrikaner captain Francois Pienaar. Mandela's jersey had Pienaar's number 6 on the back. The presentation was widely seen as a sign of reconciliation between South Africa's black and white communities. The cover of Lomus autobiography Jonah Tali Lomu (born May 12, 1975) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who played 73 times (63 test matches) as an All Black after debuting in 1994. ... Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela IPA: (born July 18, 1918) was the first President of South Africa to be elected in fully-representative democratic elections. ... The Springboks or Bokke are the South African national rugby team. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ...

The 2003 Cup was intended to be held jointly by Australia and New Zealand, but disagreements between the International Rugby Board and the NZ Union, over sponsorship, advertising and ticketing, saw the competition relocated to Australia. The International Rugby Board (IRB), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the world governing and law-making body for the game of Rugby Union (as opposed to Rugby League—see the respective entries for differences between the two). ...

The 2007 competition will be held in France, with some games played in Wales and Scotland. The 2011 tournament was awarded to New Zealand in November 2005, ahead of bids from Japan and South Africa. For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom and England, see British Isles (terminology). ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ...

World Cup Records

Most overall points in final stages

• Gavin Hastings 227 Scotland 1987-95
• Michael Lynagh 195 Australia 1987-95
• Grant Fox 170 New Zealand 1987-91
• Andrew Mehrtens 163 New Zealand 1995-99

Most points in one competition

• Grant Fox 126 New Zealand 1987
• Thierry Lacroix 112 France 1995
• Gavin Hastings 104 Scotland 1995
• Gonzalo Quesada 102 Argentina 1999
• Matt Burke 101 Australia 1999

Most points in a match by a team

• 145 New Zealand v Japan 1995
• 142 Australia v Namibia 2003
• 111 England v Uruguay 2003
• 101 New Zealand v Italy 1999
• 101 England v Tonga 1999
• 89 Scotland v Ivory Coast 1995
• 74 New Zealand v Fiji 1987
• 72 Canada v Namibia 1999

Biggest winning match margins

• 142 Australia 142-0 v Namibia 2003
• 128 New Zealand 145-17 v Japan 1995
• 98 England 111-13 v Uruguay 2003
• 98 New Zealand 101-3 v Italy 1999
• 91 England 101-10 v Tonga 1999
• 89 Scotland 89-0 v Ivory Coast 1995

Most points in a match by a player

• Simon Culhane 45 New Zealand v Japan 1995
• Gavin Hastings 44 Scotland v Ivory Coast 1995
• Mat Rogers 42 Australia v Namibia 2003
• Tony Brown 36 New Zealand v Italy 1999
• Paul Grayson 36 England v Tonga 1999
• Jannie de Beer 34 South Africa v England 1999
• Jonny Wilkinson 32 England v Italy 1999

Most overall tries in final stages

• Jonah Lomu 15 New Zealand 1995-99
• Rory Underwood 11 England 1987-95
• David Campese 10 Australia 1987-95

Most tries in one competition

• Jonah Lomu 8 New Zealand 1999
• Marc Ellis 7 New Zealand 1995
• Jonah Lomu 7 New Zealand 1995

Most tries in a match by a team

• 22 Australia v Namibia 2003
• 21 New Zealand v Japan 1995
• 17 England v Uruguay 2003
• 14 New Zealand v Italy 1999
• 13 England v Tonga 1999
• 13 Scotland v Ivory Coast 1995
• 13 France v Zimbabwe 1987

Most tries in a match by a player

• Marc Ellis 6 New Zealand v Japan 1995
• Chris Latham 5 Australia v Namibia 2003
• Josh Lewsey 5 England v Uruguay 2003
• Keith Wood 4 Ireland v United States 1999
• Gavin Hastings 4 Scotland v Ivory Coast 1995
• Chester Williams 4 South Africa v Western Samoa 1995
• Jonah Lomu 4 New Zealand v England 1995
• Brian Robinson 4 Ireland v Zimbabwe 1991
• Ieaun Evans 4 Wales v Canada 1987
• Craig Green 4 New Zealand v Fiji 1987
• John Gallagher 4 New Zealand v Fiji 1987

Most appearances

• Sean Fitzpatrick (NZ) 17 1987-1995

Most conversions in a match

• Simon Culhane 20 (NZ v Japan) 1995

Most penalties in a match

• Matt Burke 8 (Australia v South Africa, 1999)
• Gonzalo Quesada 8 (Argentina v Samoa, 1999)
• Gavin Hastings 8 (Scotland v Tonga, 1995)
• Thierry Lacroix 8 (France v Ireland, 1995)

Most penalties in one tournament

• Gonzalo Quesada (Argentina) 31 (1999).

Most drop goals in a match

• Jannie de Beer 5 (SA v England) 1999

Attendances

• 1987 NZ/Australia - 600,000
• 1991 England/France - 1,000,000
• 1995 South Africa - 1,000,000
• 1999 Wales - 1,750,000
• 2003 Australia - 1,800,000

INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENTS

1987

• Top points scorers
  • 126 - Grant Fox (New Zealand)
  • 82 - Michael Lynagh (Australia)
  • 62 - Gavin Hastings (Scotland)
  • 53 - Didier Camberabero (France)
  • 43 - Jon Webb (England)

• Top try scorers
  • 6 - Craig Green, John Kirwan (both New Zealand),
  • 5 - Mike Harrison (England), John Gallagher, David Kirk, Allan Whetton (all New Zealand).

1991

• Top points scorers
  • 68 - Ralph Keyes (Ireland)
  • 66 - Michael Lynagh (Australia)
  • 61 - Gavin Hastings (Scotland)
  • 56 - Jon Webb (England)
  • 44 - Grant Fox (New Zealand)

• Top try scorers
  • 6 - David Campese (Australia)
  • 4 - Tim Horan (Australia), Brian Robinson (Ireland), Ivan Tukalo (Scotland), Rory Underwood (England).

1995

• Top points scorers
  • 112 - Thierry Lacroix (France)
  • 104 - Gavin Hastings (Scotland)
  • 84 - Andrew Mehrtens (New Zealand)
  • 79 - Rob Andrew (England)
  • 66 - Joel Stransky (South Africa)

• Top try scorers
  • 7 - Jonah Lomu, Mark Ellis (both New Zealand)
  • 5 - Gavin Hastings (Scotland), Rory Underwood (England)
  • 4 - Thierry Lacroix (France), Chester Williams, Adriaan Richter (both South Africa)

1999

• Top points scorers
  • 102 - Gonzalo Quesada (Argentina)
  • 101 - Matt Burke (Australia)
  • 97 - Jannie De Beer (South Africa)
  • 79 - Andrew Mehrtens (New Zealand)
  • 69 - Jonny Wilkinson (England)

• Top try scorers
  • 8 - Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
  • 6 - Jeff Wilson (New Zealand)
  • 4 - Keith Wood (Ireland), Dan Luger (England), Viliame Satala (Fiji), Philippe Bernat-Salles (France)

2003

• Top points scorers
  • 113 - Jonny Wilkinson (England)
  • 103 - Frederic Michalak (France)
  • 100 - Elton Flatley (Australia)
  • 75 - Leon McDonald (New Zealand)
  • 71 - Chris Paterson (Scotland)

• Top try scorers
  • 7 - Doug Howlett, Mils Muliaina (both New Zealand)
  • 6 - Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand)
  • 5 - Will Greenwood, Josh Lewsey (both England), Chris Latham, Matt Rogers (both Australia)

See also

• List of International Rugby Union Teams
• Rugby League World Cup

The following is a list of international rugby union teams: Any team added to this list should have a corresponding Category:International rugby union teams or Category:National rugby union teams link put into the bottom the article to keep the Category database up to date. ... The original World Cup, first lifted in 1954 by Great Britain The Rugby League World Cup, is a tournament in which a number of the strongest rugby league nations participate in, to determine which nation is supreme in the sport. ...

External links

• 2007 Rugby Union World Cup website (from the IRB)
• A Rugby Union World Cup website
• Official Travel & Hospitality site

The International Rugby Board (IRB), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the world governing and law-making body for the game of Rugby Union (as opposed to Rugby League—see the respective entries for differences between the two). ...