After becoming the first Northern hemisphere side to win the Rugby World Cup in 2003, can England retain the fabled Webb Ellis trophy in 2007? The odds have been stacked against England in recent months with poor form and injury blighting their build up. It was a different story four years ago though when a Johnny Wilkinson drop goal sent the country into frenzied celebrations, but that is just one of many highlights from Rugby World Cup history.
In the meeting held to discuss the issue, majority opposed the idea and only Australia, New Zealand and France supported it. When the vote was held South Africa, along with England and Wales voted in favor of it. This was a great back up for the official world cup, which was held in 1987.
Around 32 matches were played in the 1987 world cup that was held from May 22 to June 20. One African nation, three Americas nations, one Asian nation, seven European nations and four Oceanic nations participated in the Australia world cup. The tournament became all blacks rugby with New Zealand winning the final rugby match.
The success of the Australian world cup motivated the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) to conduct it every four years. The 1991 world cup was hosted by Great Britain, Ireland and France and Australian rugby team grabbed the tournament trophy. The tournament then became the fourth largest national sporting teams tournament in the world.
South Africa hosted the 1995 rugby world cup and it was the first time that all rugby matches was played in a single country. This tournament saw the entry of South Africa and their victory in the rugby world cup. Around 65 nations were attempted in the qualifying round of the 1999 rugby world cup. The tournament was hosted by Wales with matches played in England, France, Scotland and Ireland.
The previous world cup, the 2003 rugby world cup was hosted by Australia. England won the tournament and became the first northern hemisphere nation to win rugby world cup. The tournament attracted thousands of spectators from far and wide and it has now become a much-awaited game for its fans.
Only two nations have ever hosted and won the Rugby World Cup on home soil, but with other sides finishing as runners up when they have hosted in the past (England - 1991 and Australia - 2003), the omens bode well for France to make a concerted push for glory in 2007.
1987 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup extravaganza that had begun in 1987 was carried forward with full glory and enthusiasm to the 1991 Rugby World Cup . The Rugby World Cup of 1991 was hosted by England along with Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France. New Zealand, the former Rugby World champions participated with a determination of retaining the cup. The final match was played between Australia and England, with Australia clinching the winners' tag.
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup or the Webb Ellis Cup was held in South Africa in the months of May and June and was the first to be hosted by any single nation. The 1995 edition was the first Rugby World Cup for the hosts South Africa and the expectation in the country was really high. South Africa and New Zealand were the two teams to play in the final in which the hosts defeated the Kiwis through an extra-time goal. This is the highlights of the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final between South Africa and New Zealand.
1999 Rugby World Cup
The fourth Rugby World Cup was hosted by Wales in 1999. The co-hosts of the 1999 Rugby World Cup were England, Scotland, Ireland and France . In the 1999 Rugby World Cup , twenty teams were selected for the final stage of the competition through qualifying matches. For the first time in the history of Rugby World Cup, the Repechage system was introduced, in which the runner-ups finishing with a very close margin from each qualifying zone were given a chance to play in the final stage of the competition. The final was played between Australia and France, with Australia winning the match.
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was scheduled to be hosted by Australia. Twenty teams participated in the final stage of the 2003 Rugby World Cup . The final match was played between Australia and England. England won the final in a close margin and became the winner of the 2003 Rugby World Cup . Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Jason Leonard and Lawrence Dallaglio share with sportasylum their memories of the 2003 World Cup final.
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union world championship 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, and won by South Africa, who defeated England at the State de France in St. Denis, Paris. France won the hosting rights in 2003, beating a bid from England. the final match betweenEngland and South Africa on 20 October, which South Africa won by 15 points to 6, their second World Cup title.
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