Best World Cup Ever?

[rowan]

The 1st World Cup in 1987 brought 16 teams together from all around the globe (literally - with every continent represented) in an entirely unprecedented festival of international rugby in what was still, technically, the amateur era with its 4-points tries. Hosts NZ were assisted by Australia. SA could not participate due to its political situation. It was nonetheless a resounding success. No team was disgraced. NZ registered the highest score, 74-13 v Fiji, and margin, 70-6 v Italy. Highlights included Tsimba's double for Zimbabwe in a 20-21 loss to Romania, America's hard-fought win over Japan and Fiji's surprise thumping of Porta's Argentina. Despite losing to Italy, Fiji got through to the quarters. The semis were memorable for Blanco's late winner for France over Australia in Sydney (I wuz there ) and NZ's record 49-6 thumping of Wales. NZ were irrepressible throughout the tournament, and duly won the final, 29-9, with 3 tries to 1.

The 2nd World Cup in 1991 was hosted by England with assistance from France and the Celtic nations. There was only one debutante, Samoa, who supplanted Tonga. & it was the Samoans who would set this tournament alight, stunning Wales and thumping Argentina to reach the quarters (at the expense of both). Similarly impressive were Canada, who overcame Fiji and Romania to book their place in the last 8 against NZ. Other memorable performances were Japan's 52-8 demolition of Zimbabwe, Romania's upset win over Fiji and Italy's much improved effort against NZ, losing 21-31. Australia needed a last minute try from Lynagh to edge Ireland in the quarters, but Campese magic saw them eliminate hitherto unbeaten NZ in the semis. Australia beat England 12-6 in the final.

The 3rd World Cup in 1995 was hosted solely by South Africa, where Apartheid was over. In came SA, Tonga & Ivory Coast, out went Fiji, Zimbabwe and the US. Tries had been increased to 5 points. SA beat Australia on debut and Samoa again reached the quarters with wins over Argentina and Italy. But the early stages were memorable mostly for giant teenager Lomu's storming runs on the wing for NZ, scoring 4 tries and creating more. NZ, without Lomu, racked up the the event's first ton, 145-17 v Japan with Ellis running in 6 tries. Wales were again eliminated, while Ivory Coast had an unhappy time, losing 0-89 to Scotland on debut, before real tragedy struck when winger Brito was paralyzed during the loss to Tonga. England flyhalf Andrew was knighted after his winning drop-goal v Australia in the quarters. But England were then taken apart by NZ's Lomu, who charged across for 4 tries. SA held on v France in torrential rain in the other semi. In an enthralling finale, though one which was devoid of tries, Stransky kicked the winning drop-goal for the hosts late into extra time. President Mandela was on hand to award the trophy to his countrymen.

The 4th World Cup in 1999, the first of the professional era, returned to Britain, with hosts Wales assisted by France and the remaining Home Unions. It was expanded to 20 teams, with 5 groups of 4 leading to 3 repechages for the quarters. In came Fiji, America, Uruguay, Spain & Namibia, out went Ivory Coast. Samoa again stunned Wales, though the hosts returned to the quarters nonetheless. NZ & England registered tons v Italy & Tonga, respectively, while Italy's misery on the eve of their 6 Nations inclusion was compounded by defeat to Tonga. England & Scotland eliminated Fiji & Samoa, respetively, in the repechages, while Argentina held on against Ireland to reach the last 8 for the first time. De Beer kicked a record 5 drop-goals to help SA thump England in the quarters. The semis were full of drama, with Larkham's drop-goal clinching victory for Australia deep into extra-time against hitherto unbeaten SA, and France coming from behind to shock favorites NZ 43-31, despite a Lomu double. SA consigned NZ to 4th in the playoff at the new Millenium Stadium (I wuz there ), & Australia cruised to a 35-12 win over France in the final, 3 tries to nil, to become the first double champion.

The 5th World Cup in 2003, the first of the new millenia, was held entirely in Australia after NZ were axed as co-hosts. The format was changed to 4 groups of 5, removing the repechages. The solitary debutante was Georgia, who have qualified for every tournament since. Out went Spain. The group stages were predictable, with only Fiji and Tonga threatening the established order in narrow losses to Scotland & Wales, respectively. The hosts, having put 90 points on Romania, broke records with a 142-0 annihilation of Namibia, & England got a ton v Uruguay. The only upset of the tournament was Australia's 22-10 victory over perennial favorites NZ in the semis. In a riveting final, league converts Tuqiri and Robinson touched down for Australia and England, before Wilkinson's drop-goal deep into extra time saw a Northern Hemisphere team prevail for the first & only time.

The 6th World Cup in 2007 was staged in France with assistance from Wales and Scotland (the 3rd time these 3 nations had been involved as hosts). In came Portugal, out went Uruguay, giving Europe 9/20 teams. In contrast to the previous edition, there was drama aplenty, with Argentina stunning France in the opener then comfortably eliminating Ireland to top their group. Meanwhile, Fiji ran up a big lead & held on for a 38-34 win over Wales, who failed to make the quarters for the 3rd time. Tonga upset Samoa and pushed SA all the way in a 25-30 loss, SA demolished the defending champs 36-0, Georgia gave Ireland a huge fright, before grabbing their first RWC win, 30-0 v Namibia, NZ registered a ton against debutantes Portugal, and Scotland just scraped through against 6 Nations nemesis Italy. The drama continued in the quarters, with Argentina making the semis for the first time after a tense win over Scotland, and NZ failing to reach that stage for the 1st and only time after an 18-20 defeat to France. A much-improved England overcame the hosts in the semis, but succumbed to SA in another tryless final, a result which saw the winners join Australia as 2-time champs.

The 7th World Cup in 2011 was staged solely in NZ, though the nation's 2nd biggest stadium was ruled out after a devastating earthquake had killed 185 people earlier that year. Again there was only one debutante, Russia, supplanting Portugal. Tonga recorded an astonishing upset over France in the group stages, though France went through regardless, with Tonga missing out due to an earlier defeat by Canada. Argentina returned to the last 8 courtesy of a 13-12 win over Scotland, while Wales hammered a Fijian side unable to bring its military players (owing to a political coup) 66-0. The US beat Russia 13-6 in a battle of the old Cold War foes, for its first win since 87. There was a further repeat of history with the same 4 teams lining up in the semis as 87. Wales came agonizingly close to its first final but were pipped 9-8 by France, a red card to Warburton not helping their cause. In a similarly tense final the hosts held on for an 8-7 win over luckless France (1 try apiece) to join their SANZAR counterparts as 2-time champs.

The 8th World Cup in 2015 returned to Britain with England being assisted by Wales, co-hosting for the 4th time. For the first time ever there was no debutante at the event, Uruguay returning in place of Russia (who they beat on aggregate in the repechage final). There was a massive shock in the opening round when Japan defeated two-time champion South Africa with a late try; arguably the biggest upset in international rugby history. It was only Japan's second win after eight World Cup appearances, and they followed it up with two more, versus Samoa and the US, though a solitary defeat to Scotland prevented them progressing on aggregate; the first time a team with three wins failed to do so. There was further drama with England becoming the first host nation in tournament history to be eliminated at the pool stages, after losses to Wales and Australia. New Zealand battered France in the quarters, Argentina crushed Ireland to reach the last 4 for the second time, and Australia pipped Scotland with a controversial late penalty - setting up an all Southern Hemisphere semis with SA also through. New Zealand and Australia duly progressed to the final, where the former comfortably prevailed to become the first three-time champion and back-to-back winner.

[Mr Mwenda]

It's a tricky question actually. I think 2003 had the most even teams at the top all playing good rugby so gets my vote (also because of the final result). 2007 was also even at the top but I think many of those teams were stagnant and uninspiring. In terms of upsets and general success I'd say 2015 also has a shout as many of the group games were more interesting than normal - the trouble was that NZ were so much better than the others so it never felt much in doubt (poor show world). The France-NZ semi-final in 1999 remains my favourite game of all time. I'm too young to remember earlier that - although I do remember my parents being very happy after Andrew's drop goal.

[Digby]

best ever I've no idea about. best so far would be 2003 for the result or 2015 for the rugby.

[rowan]

I'd rate them in the following order:

1st - 1995 put the tournament on the world sporting map, not just the rugby map, first through Lomu's heroics - the "Pele" of rugby, in that sense - and Mandela handing over the trophy to his (mostly white) countrymen, making rugby itself a symbol of the end of Apartheid.

2nd - 2007 was the first tournament where the so-called "developing nations" really showed they could mix it with the "big boys" (the heroics of a largely New Zealand-based Samoan team in 91 & 95, notwithstanding). New Zealand failing to reach the semis for the only time was as good for the legitimacy of the tournament as was Argentina's astonishing march to the semi-finals. We had Fiji back in the quarters, Italy almost reaching that stage for the first time, and Tonga and Georgia taking Ireland and SA down to the wire. That's what a 'real' World Cup should be about.

3rd -1987 was magical just because it was happening. This was a celebration of international rugby, unprecedented at the time, of course. & this was the only World Cup during which I supported New Zealand. It was only fitting, with SA out of the picture, that the other team to have dominated the pre-World Cup era ended up lifting the trophy. My greatest fear was that pre-tournament favourites Australia would win it, because they'd only been a real force for several years before that, and didn't give the tournament the respect it deserved either. I was in Australia at the time and coverage wasn't great.

4th - 2015 again with the upsets, notably Japan beating South Africa & Samoa in the group stages and Argentina again getting through to the semis. Georgia picked up two wins to qualify directly for 2019, Namibia had their most respectable tournament to date (including a one-point loss to the Lelos), and hosts England crashing out in the group stages suggesting there is nothing too predictable about RWC's anymore. At least, not apart from the All Blacks winning, in this particular tournament, which is why I only rated it 4th.

5th - 1999 had the two dramatic semi-finals and also saw Argentina reach the quarters for the first time. But the group stages were not too memorable, apart from the controversy over refereeing and Italy's horrible form on the eve of their addition to the 6N. Expansion came to early as well, in my opinon. 16 was the ideal number at the time, and probably should have stayed at that for another 2 or 3 tournaments.

6th - 2003 was the most predictable tournament by far, with only one upset (according to the rankings) in 48 games - Australia over New Zealand in the semis. The so-called 8 "foundation members" of the IRB/World Rugby all reached the 1/4s for the only time, allowing the media to gush that this was where the "real" World Cup began (as though the other teams didn't matter). Protracted group stages and unequal scheduling didn't help either. But the quality of rugby was definitely high, and the final was a cracker with perhaps the greatest team ever to come out of the Northern Hemisphere giving Europe its first and only trophy (much to my personal delight, I must add).

7th - 1991 was a damp squib after 1987, with the only positive aspect being the closer margins recorded, though this was attributable ore to the conditions than any improvement on the part of the developing nations, as 1995 would demonstrate so brutally. Aside from Samoa's performance in reaching the 1/4s at the expense of co-hosts Wales, and Campese's magic against NZ in the semis, not much to enthuse over here, and least of all the most boring final played to date.

8th 2011 was a return to farmsville after the big stage of France and simply lacked the atmosphere of the previous few installments. The refereeing influenced too many of the crucial games and the All Blacks were always going to win, whether they deserved to or not. The developing nations failed to make the same impact as they had in 2007, letalone build on it, and Fiji were made to look ridiculous after half their team was declared ineligible for political reasons. It would've been better just to ban them outright, as SA were in (effectively) in 87 & 91. Only positive for me was Russia making a respectable debut and Argentina again reaching the 1/4s - if only just.

[Digby]

1991 mayn't have been the best ever tournament, but in any review the Ireland game against Oz merits a mention. One of the great WC games

[rowan]

Absolutely, and duly mentioned among the great escapes in my Rugby World Cup's 'Almost Upsets' thread...

[rowan]

What would you rate the greatest match ever?

My top 10

Japan 34 South Africa 32 (2015)
France 30 Australia 24 (1987)
New Zealand 45 England 29 (1995)
South Africa 15 New Zealand 12 (1995)
France 43 New Zealand 31 (1999)
England 20 Australia 17 (2003)
Argentina 17 France 12 (2007)
Fiji 38 Wales 34 (2007)
Samoa 16 Wales 13 (1991)
Australia 16 New Zealand 6 (1991)

[Lizard]

NZ 43 - AUS 6, Athletic Park, 1996 was pretty good


Sent from my genius using brilliance

[rowan]

Sure, I was only referring to World Cup games. Outside the World Cup there's just too many to remember, though France's 'try from the end of the world' to defeat the All Blacks in ?94? is one that springs to mind. First & only time a European nation has won a series in NZ (Lions of 71 being a combined side). Italy defeating Scotland in their 6N debut was another.

[OptimisticJock]

Is the UK one in 2015 a fictional one?

[rowan]

Sure, I was only referring to World Cup games. Outside the World Cup there's just too many to remember, though France's 'try from the end of the world' to defeat the All Blacks in ?94? is one that springs to mind. First & only time a European nation has won a series in NZ (Lions of 71 being a combined side). Italy defeating Scotland in their 6N debut was another.

NZ 25 SA 22 in 1981 & Australia 35 NZ 39 in 2000. The former is probably the most dramatic game of rugby I've ever seen, ahead of the 95 RWC final. The latter was just a thrill a minute, with big Jonah Lomu settling the issue in the end.

[rowan]

The World Cup turns 30 this year, and who would have imagined, back in '87, that Japan would be gearing up to host the event, having beaten the Springboks in the tournament itself two years earlier?

A fanciful view, perhaps, that focuses on one of the relatively few bright spots or breakthroughs to have occurred during three decades of World Cup rugby and a total of eight tournaments.

If you had asked me back in '87, I would have predicted the tournament would have expanded to at least 24 by 2017, perhaps even 32, that more than four teams would have won it, more than five would have reached the final and more than 8 would have made the semi-finals. I would also have expected a much more extensive and independent qualifying system (which the game actually came close to achieving at the end of the century but then backtracked on due to pressure from the elite playing nations), and withal that only the host and defending champion would be qualifying automatically. I certainly wouldn't have thought that tournament hosting would still be all but alternating between the Home Unions & France and Australasia (Japan's welcome intrusion notwithstanding).

On the other hand, global TV audiences have apparently been phenomenal and placed the sport firmly on the internatonal map, while proceeds have been used to good effect in helping develop the game worldwide. So it's been a mixed bag really. I wonder how things will look in 2047

[rowan]

2047: I might just live to see it, since 3 of my grandparents made it to 90 & I'll only be pushing 80.

I think we'll have a 32 team tournament by then, or will be pushing for it, USA will have a major professional league running and will be among the likely host nation candidates, while the Eagles will be starting to challenge the elite playing nations, possibly breaking into the semi-finals by then. The same will be true of Italy and Japan, while Eastern Europe will have developed into one of the game's major strongholds, with Georgia and Russia, in particular, able to foot it with the Celtic nations. Kenya and possibly Uganda, along with Brazil, will have begun to appear at World Cups with increasing regularity. Russia and Brazil might also have entered the race to host a World Cup event, while both will probably have well-established pro-leagues, if not quite as lucrative as the US' or Japan's. NZ will have fallen by the wayside as a World Cup potential host nation by then, while only England among the Home Unions will remain in contention. The Celtic nations and Pacific Islands will have slipped a little bit further down the pecking order but will still be competitive nations and World Cup regulars, particularly with the likelihood of expansion. A vastly more extensive World Cup qualifying system will be in place...