The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams.
The 1999 Rugby World Cup, was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship, the first World Cup to be held in the sport's professional era.
The 2007 Rugby World Cup, was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003, beating a bid from England. The competition consisted of 48 matches over 44 days; 42 matches were played in ten cities throughout France, as well as four in Cardiff, Wales, and two in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The 1987 Rugby World Cup, was the first Rugby World Cup. It was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia – New Zealand hosted 21 matches while Australia hosted 11 matches. The tournament was won by New Zealand, who were the strong favourites and won all their matches comfortably. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the final at Eden Park in Auckland. The New Zealand team was captained by David Kirk and included such rugby greats as Sean Fitzpatrick, John Kirwan, Grant Fox and Michael Jones. Wales finished third, and Australia fourth, after conceding crucial tries in the dying seconds of both their semi-final against France and the third-place play-off against Wales.
The Rugby World Cup host nation is selected by World Rugby at a meeting six years before each tournament. Each of the Rugby World Cups from 1987 to 2015 were hosted by countries that are considered the traditional powers in World Rugby. The first non Rugby Championship or Six Nations country to host a Rugby World Cup was Japan in 2019, after failed bids for the 2011 and 2015 tournaments.
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, have played 56 matches so far in the nine Rugby World Cup tournaments from 1987 to 2019, with an additional match cancelled and unplayed. They won the 1987, 2011, and 2015 tournaments. They have always qualified in first place from every group and they lost their first pool match only in 2023 RWC against France. Their worst performance was in 2007 when they lost a quarter-final to France. They have made it to at least the semi-finals at all the other tournaments.
The USA Women's National Team XVs is the senior national team for the United States in the 15-a-side version of rugby. The team was officially formed in 1987 and is nicknamed the Eagles.
The Australia national rugby union team, known as the Wallabies, has played in all eight Rugby World Cup tournaments. They have won the World Cup on two occasions; only New Zealand and South Africa have won more. Australia has hosted or co-hosted the tournament twice – in 1987 and 2003.
The Fiji women's national rugby union team are a national sporting side of Fiji, representing them at rugby union. They played their first test against Samoa in 2006, and compete annually in the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. In 2022, they created history when they scored the third-highest points in both Men's and Women's Rugby at the Oceania Championship when they trounced Papua New Guinea 152–0. They made their first Rugby World Cup appearance at the delayed tournament in New Zealand.
The England national team have competed in every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987. They have played 51 matches in nine tournaments, and won 36 for a winning record of 70.59%. Their best ever position was champions in 2003, whilst they have also participated in three other finals; the 2019 final, the 2007 final and the final of the 1991 competition. They have beaten two countries four times; Australia and the United States. Their worst record is against South Africa, who have defeated them in four of their five encounters.
Scotland have played in every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987.
Argentina have competed in all the Rugby World Cup tournaments, starting with the inaugural 1987 tournament.
South Africa have played at 7 of the 9 Rugby World Cup tournaments, having been unable to compete in the first two tournaments due to a sports boycott during the apartheid era. Following the end of apartheid, they hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup and won the tournament, they were champions again at the 2007 tournament in France. The Springboks then made history when they beat England in the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan despite losing a pool stage match.
The France national rugby team have competed in every Rugby World Cup since the tournament began in 1987. They are one of five teams who have played in the final match, having done so three times, losing and finishing second in the tournament each time. They have made it to at least the quarter-finals at every tournament.
The Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament held every four years and contested by the men's national teams of the member unions of World Rugby. The Wales national rugby union team has participated in all nine Rugby World Cup tournaments. Up to and including 2015, hosting of the tournament alternated between traditional rugby heartlands in the southern hemisphere and those in Europe. Wales was the primary host in 1999, with Cardiff's Millennium Stadium built to coincide with the event, and the other three tournaments played in Europe have also used venues in Wales to some degree. Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and its predecessor, the Cardiff Arms Park, will have hosted a total 21 matches over a total of four World Cups. This is the largest number of World Cup games hosted by one venue.
The Ireland national rugby union team have played all nine Rugby World Cup tournaments. They have played in the quarter-finals at all but two tournaments, but have yet to progress to the semi-finals. They have finished top of their pool twice.
The 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup was the seventh edition of the Women's Rugby World Cup, and the sixth held in Europe. The World Cup Final took place on 17 August.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup, is the ongoing tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for rugby union national teams. It is taking place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country and is the first to take place entirely in France. The opening game and final will take place at the Stade de France, north of Paris. The tournament is being held in the bicentenary year of the "invention" of the sport by William Webb Ellis.
The 2021 Rugby World Cup was the ninth staging of the women's Rugby World Cup, as organised by World Rugby. It was held from 8 October to 12 November 2022 in Auckland and Whangārei, New Zealand. It was originally scheduled to be held in 2021, but was postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New Zealand women's national rugby union team, also known as the Black Ferns, have played 38 matches so far in eight of nine Women's Rugby World Cup tournaments in 1991, and from 1998 to 2021. They did not participate in the 1994 World Cup in Scotland due to a late cancellation.
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