New Zealand beat France 29–9 at Eden Park in the first final, in a tournament they co-hosted with Australia (1987)
Sixteen invited nations; David Kirk lifted the trophy
General knowledge · Sport
The Rugby World Cup
First held 1987
Sport — rugby union's world championship
Rugby union's world championship, held every four years since 1987, when New Zealand and Australia co-hosted the first tournament and the All Blacks beat France 29–9 in the final. The winners receive the Webb Ellis Cup, a gilt trophy made by Garrard's in 1906 and named for the Rugby schoolboy of legend. South Africa hold the record with four titles, and the 2027 tournament in Australia expands the field to twenty-four teams.
How to spot them
- ▸The Webb Ellis Cup, 38 cm high, silver gilded in gold, made in 1906
- ▸Only four nations have ever won it: South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, England
- ▸Mandela in a Springbok jersey; Wilkinson's drop goal; the 12–11 final in Paris
- ▸Held every four years since 1987; twenty teams, rising to twenty-four in 2027
Key facts
Nelson Mandela handed over the trophy wearing a Springbok jersey, after Joel Stransky's extra-time drop goal (1995)
South Africa beat New Zealand 15–12 at Ellis Park; the film Invictus tells the story
Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal with twenty-six seconds of extra time left, in Sydney (2003)
England beat Australia 20–17, the only northern-hemisphere side ever to win
Australia beat Namibia 142–0, the most one-sided result in the competition's history (2003)
Chris Latham scored five tries
South Africa beat New Zealand 12–11 at the Stade de France to become the first four-time winners (2023)
They won all three knockout matches by a single point
Jonah Lomu ran over Mike Catt and three more England defenders for four tries in a Cape Town semi-final (1995)
His eight tries in that tournament were later equalled by Bryan Habana in 2007
England beat Canada 33–13 at Twickenham in front of a record 81,885 (2025)
The Red Roses' third women's title, and the biggest crowd ever for a women's rugby match
Australia hosts the 2027 edition, expanded from twenty teams to twenty-four (2027)
The first time Australia has hosted alone
Quick-fire facts
- •The first tournament, in 1987, was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia; New Zealand beat France 29–9 in the final
- •The trophy is the Webb Ellis Cup, made by Garrard's in 1906 and named after William Webb Ellis
- •South Africa have won four titles (1995, 2007, 2019, 2023); New Zealand three; Australia two; England one
- •England's win in 2003 is the only one by a northern-hemisphere nation
- •South Africa's 12–11 win over New Zealand in the 2023 final made them the first side to retain the title since New Zealand in 2015
- •Australia's 142–0 defeat of Namibia in 2003 is the record margin
- •Jonah Lomu and Bryan Habana share the record of eight tries in a single tournament
- •The 2027 tournament, in Australia, expands the field from twenty teams to twenty-four
- •A separate women's tournament has been held since 1991; England beat Canada 33–13 at Twickenham to win the 2025 edition
- •World Rugby, formerly the International Rugby Board, runs the competition
Drill it — 8 cards
1 / 8new card
Sources
- World Rugby — Rugby World Cup tournament history and records
- Rugby Football Union — England's Red Roses win 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup