The Rugby World Cup
Created | Updated Feb 10, 2002
From October 1 until November 7, 1999, the 20 rugby teams who have survived an, at times, gruelling qualifying regime played over the preceding two years, will assemble to compete for The Ellis Webb Rugby Union World Cup.
Ellis Webb was an Englishman who attended Rugby Public School and one day, while playing football/soccer, he picked up the ball and ran with it in his hands, so inventing Rugby Union.
This cup was first played for in 1987 when host country New Zealand beat France 29-9 to win the inaugaral tournament. The 1991 tournament was in England where the home side was defeated by Australia 12-6 in the final. Current holders South Africa defeated New Zealand, after extra time, 15-12 in South Africa in 1995.
The host country this time is Wales, who will be assisted by France, England, Scotland and Ireland in holding qualifying pools to see who make the finals.
The five pool winners will go through to the quarter finals where they will be joined by the three winners of a playoff set of games played between the five runner-ups and the best one of the third placed teams.
This will leave eight teams who then play knock-out games to find the ultimate winner who will be crowned world champion. This team will hold the title until the next tournament is held in four year's time.
A link to all the world's rugby sites can be found at Rugby Today This includes Japans whose rugby symbol appears to be, I am not making this up, three pink African violets.
The teams are -
Pool A: South Africa, Scotland, Spain, Uruguay
Pool B: New Zealand, England, Italy, Tonga
Pool C: France, Fiji, Canada, Namibia
Pool D: Wales, Argentine, Samoa, Japan
Pool E: Australia, Ireland, USA, Romania
Results so far.
Round 1 - England 67 Italy 7. France 33 Canada 20. Ireland 53 USA 8. Uruguay 27 Spain 15. Wales 23 Argentina 18. Fiji 67 Namibia 18. Australia 57 Romania 9. Samoa 43 Japan 9. New Zealand 45 Tonga 9. South Africa 46 Scotland 29.
Round 2 - Scotland 43 Uruguay 12, France 47 Namibia 13. New Zealand 30 England 16, Wales 64 Japan 15, Romania 27 USA 25, Fiji 38 Canada 22. Argentina 32 Samoa 16, Ireland 3 Australia 23, South Africa 47 Spain 3, Italy 25 Tonga 28.
Round 3 - Canada 72 Namibia 11, New Zealand 101 Italy 3, Samoa 38 Wales 31, Australia 55 USA 19. Engtland 101 Tonga 10, South Africa 39 Uruguay 3, Ireland 44 Romania 14, Argentina 33 Japan 12, Scotland 48 Spain 0, France 28 Fiji 19.
Quarter final repercharge: (a) Scotland 35 Samoa 20, (b) England 45 Fiji 24, Ireland 24 Argentina 28.
Quarter final: New Zealand 30 Scotland 18, South Africa 44 England 21, Australia 24 Wales 9, France 47 v Argentina 26.
Semi final: New Zealand 31 France 43, Australia 27 South Africa 21
Play off for 3rd: Sa 24 NZ 18
And the final: Australia 35 France 12
WELL DONE AUSTRALIA
Some quotes: "When I was here in November the stadium couldn't have held a dog show. But it seems Wales have worked another miracle in the last year." Argentine's NZ coach Alex Wyllie on seeing the Millennium Stadium.
"Their coach is not called 'Grizz' for nothing. They will be bloody grizzly when they come out on Friday. Alex will have fed them a diet of barbed wire and raw meat this week and will open the cage on Friday." Welsh coach Graham Henry on his fellow New Zealander, Wyllie.
"I'm not trying to think about it to be honest. When we played South Africa in front of 27,500 it was awesome. This is completely different - 72,500. It is quite frightening and it is the first game of the World Cup." Welsh captain Rob Howley on the atmosphere in the new stadium.
"It's unbelievable how cheerful they can be, always smiling. And they never complain as long as you give them a lot of tabasco. They love it." French hotel cook Philippe Rede on looking after the Fiji squad.
"Our presence here is not a miracle." Nambian team manager Alex Christopher on one of the more lightweight teams at the tournament.
"We were very surprised ourselves when we went to get fitted out yesterday and a lot of our players had lost about two inches (5cm) off the waist which might have caused our clothing people a lot of difficulties." Ireland manager Donal Lenihan on the successful fitness training of the Irish.
"We are here flying the flag of amateur rugby." Uruguay coach Daniel Herrera.
"I feel the New Zealand public have a right to be critical because they love the All Blacks." NZ Rugby Union chief executive David Moffet.
Strange stuff: Samoa hold the record for the most humorous moment so far. When two parked cars stood between the enormous pack and dinner, the pack promptly picked up the cars and moved them out of the way so that their bus could get back to the hotel. "We were short of time and the boys were hungry," explained former prop Pita Fatialofa who led the car-lifting.
Milestones: Ray Jenkins (Wales) has scored the most points in internationl rugby. He passed the previous best set by Michael Lynagh (Australia) in Wales' game against Samoa.
Jonah Lomu (NZ) has scored the most tries, 15, in World Cup rugby. The previous record holder was Dereck Underwood (England) 11.
Ellis Webb was an Englishman who attended Rugby Public School and one day, while playing football/soccer, he picked up the ball and ran with it in his hands, so inventing Rugby Union.
This cup was first played for in 1987 when host country New Zealand beat France 29-9 to win the inaugaral tournament. The 1991 tournament was in England where the home side was defeated by Australia 12-6 in the final. Current holders South Africa defeated New Zealand, after extra time, 15-12 in South Africa in 1995.
The host country this time is Wales, who will be assisted by France, England, Scotland and Ireland in holding qualifying pools to see who make the finals.
The five pool winners will go through to the quarter finals where they will be joined by the three winners of a playoff set of games played between the five runner-ups and the best one of the third placed teams.
This will leave eight teams who then play knock-out games to find the ultimate winner who will be crowned world champion. This team will hold the title until the next tournament is held in four year's time.
A link to all the world's rugby sites can be found at Rugby Today This includes Japans whose rugby symbol appears to be, I am not making this up, three pink African violets.
The teams are -
Pool A: South Africa, Scotland, Spain, Uruguay
Pool B: New Zealand, England, Italy, Tonga
Pool C: France, Fiji, Canada, Namibia
Pool D: Wales, Argentine, Samoa, Japan
Pool E: Australia, Ireland, USA, Romania
Results so far.
Round 1 - England 67 Italy 7. France 33 Canada 20. Ireland 53 USA 8. Uruguay 27 Spain 15. Wales 23 Argentina 18. Fiji 67 Namibia 18. Australia 57 Romania 9. Samoa 43 Japan 9. New Zealand 45 Tonga 9. South Africa 46 Scotland 29.
Round 2 - Scotland 43 Uruguay 12, France 47 Namibia 13. New Zealand 30 England 16, Wales 64 Japan 15, Romania 27 USA 25, Fiji 38 Canada 22. Argentina 32 Samoa 16, Ireland 3 Australia 23, South Africa 47 Spain 3, Italy 25 Tonga 28.
Round 3 - Canada 72 Namibia 11, New Zealand 101 Italy 3, Samoa 38 Wales 31, Australia 55 USA 19. Engtland 101 Tonga 10, South Africa 39 Uruguay 3, Ireland 44 Romania 14, Argentina 33 Japan 12, Scotland 48 Spain 0, France 28 Fiji 19.
Quarter final repercharge: (a) Scotland 35 Samoa 20, (b) England 45 Fiji 24, Ireland 24 Argentina 28.
Quarter final: New Zealand 30 Scotland 18, South Africa 44 England 21, Australia 24 Wales 9, France 47 v Argentina 26.
Semi final: New Zealand 31 France 43, Australia 27 South Africa 21
Play off for 3rd: Sa 24 NZ 18
And the final: Australia 35 France 12
WELL DONE AUSTRALIA
Some quotes: "When I was here in November the stadium couldn't have held a dog show. But it seems Wales have worked another miracle in the last year." Argentine's NZ coach Alex Wyllie on seeing the Millennium Stadium.
"Their coach is not called 'Grizz' for nothing. They will be bloody grizzly when they come out on Friday. Alex will have fed them a diet of barbed wire and raw meat this week and will open the cage on Friday." Welsh coach Graham Henry on his fellow New Zealander, Wyllie.
"I'm not trying to think about it to be honest. When we played South Africa in front of 27,500 it was awesome. This is completely different - 72,500. It is quite frightening and it is the first game of the World Cup." Welsh captain Rob Howley on the atmosphere in the new stadium.
"It's unbelievable how cheerful they can be, always smiling. And they never complain as long as you give them a lot of tabasco. They love it." French hotel cook Philippe Rede on looking after the Fiji squad.
"Our presence here is not a miracle." Nambian team manager Alex Christopher on one of the more lightweight teams at the tournament.
"We were very surprised ourselves when we went to get fitted out yesterday and a lot of our players had lost about two inches (5cm) off the waist which might have caused our clothing people a lot of difficulties." Ireland manager Donal Lenihan on the successful fitness training of the Irish.
"We are here flying the flag of amateur rugby." Uruguay coach Daniel Herrera.
"I feel the New Zealand public have a right to be critical because they love the All Blacks." NZ Rugby Union chief executive David Moffet.
Strange stuff: Samoa hold the record for the most humorous moment so far. When two parked cars stood between the enormous pack and dinner, the pack promptly picked up the cars and moved them out of the way so that their bus could get back to the hotel. "We were short of time and the boys were hungry," explained former prop Pita Fatialofa who led the car-lifting.
Milestones: Ray Jenkins (Wales) has scored the most points in internationl rugby. He passed the previous best set by Michael Lynagh (Australia) in Wales' game against Samoa.
Jonah Lomu (NZ) has scored the most tries, 15, in World Cup rugby. The previous record holder was Dereck Underwood (England) 11.
