1987 Rugby World Cup
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host nations |  New Zealand Australia |
| Dates | 22 May – 20 June 1987 |
| No. of nations | 16 |
| Final positions | |
Champions  | New Zealand |
Runner-up  | France |
Third place  | Wales |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 32 |
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby Union World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the tournament. New Zealand hosted 20 matches — 17 pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final. Australia as the junior partner hosted 12 matches — seven pool matches, two quarter-finals and both semi-finals. The event was won by co-hosts New Zealand who were the strong favourites, and won all their matches comfortably. France were losing finalists, and Wales surprise third-place winners: Australia, having been second favourites, finished fourth after conceding crucial tries in the dying seconds of both the semi-final against France and the third-place play-off against Wales.
Sixteen teams competed in the inaugural tournament. Seven of the 16 places were automatically filled by the International Rugby Football Board members—New Zealand, Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France. South Africa was unable to compete because of the international sports boycott due to apartheid. There was no qualification process to fill the remaining nine spots. Instead invitations were sent out to Argentina, Fiji, Italy, Canada, Romania, Tonga, Japan, Zimbabwe and the United States. This left Western Samoa controversially excluded, despite their better playing standard than some of the teams invited. The USSR were to be invited but they refused the invitation on political grounds, allegedly due to the continued IRFB membership of South Africa.[1]
The tournament witnessed a number of one-sided matches, with the seven traditional IRFB members proving too strong for the other teams. Half of the 24 matches across the four pools saw one team score 40 or more points. 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. The tournament was seen as a major success and proved that the event was here to stay. It also led to many countries joining the International Rugby Football Board which in turn led the IRFB to become the true authority for the running of international rugby union.[citation needed]
Participating nations
There was no qualification for the inaugural World Cup so the tournament comprised the seven then-members of the IRFB, with the remaining nine places filled by teams invited by the IRFB.
| IRFB Member Nations | Invited Nations |
|---|---|
- South Africa was excluded due to its pro apartheid policies.
- Soviet Union were to be invited but declined. [citation needed]
- Western Samoa was not invited despite having a better record than some of the other invited nations. [citation needed]
Stadia
Australia
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Ballymore Stadium | 24,000 |
| Sydney | Concord Oval | 20,000 |
New Zealand
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | Eden Park | 45,472 |
| Wellington | Athletic Park | 39,000 |
| Christchurch | Lancaster Park | 36,500 |
| Dunedin | Carisbrook | 35,000 |
| Rotorua | Rotorua International Stadium | 35,000 |
| Napier | McLean Park | 30,000 |
| Hamilton | Rugby Park | 30,000[a] |
| Invercargill | Rugby Park Stadium | 17,000 |
| Palmerston North | Showgrounds Oval | 20,000 |
Squads
Pools and format
| Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 | Pool 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
- Pool 1 was played in Australia
- Pool 2 was played with five matches held in New Zealand and one in Australia
- Pool 3 was played in New Zealand
- Pool 4 was played in New Zealand
The inaugural World Cup was contested by 16 different nations. There was no qualifying tournament to determine the participants, and instead the 16 nations were invited by the International Rugby Football Board to compete. The simple 16 team pool/knock-out format was used with the sixteen nations divided into four pools of four nations, with each nation playing their other pool opponents once, every nation playing three times during the pool stages. Nations were awarded 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw and zero for a loss: teams finishing level on points were separated by tries scored, rather than total points difference (had it been otherwise, Argentina would have taken second place in Group C ahead of Fiji, although France would still have won Group D.) The top two nations of every pool advanced to the quarter finals. The runners-up of each pool faced the winners of a different pool in the quarter finals. The winners moved on to the semi finals, with the winners then moving onto the final, and the losers of the semi finals contesting a third/fourth place play off.
Points System
The points system that was used in the pool stage was:
- 2 points for a win
- 1 point for a draw
- 0 points for playing
A total of 32 matches (24 Pool Stage & 8 Knock-out) were played throughout the tournament over 29 days from Friday 22 May 1987 to Saturday 20 June 1987.
Pool stage
Pool 1
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 41 | 18 | 6 |
 England
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 32 | 15 | 4 |
 United States
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 99 | 5 | 2 |
 Japan
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 48 | 123 | 7 | 0 |
| 23 May 1987 |
| Australia | 19–6 | England |
| Tries: Campese Poidevin Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh (3) | Try: Harrison Con: Webb |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 17,896 Referee: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand) |
| 24 May 1987 |
| Japan | 18–21 | United States |
| Tries: Taumoefolau (2) Yoshinaga Pen: Yoshinaga Kutsuki | Tries: Nelson Purcell Lambert Con: Nelson (3) Pen: Nelson |
| Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Guy Maurette (France) |
| 30 May 1987 |
| England | 60–7 | Japan |
| Tries: Harrison (3) Underwood (2) Salmon Richards Redman Rees Simms Con: Webb (7) Pen: Webb (2) | Try: Miyamoto Pen: Matsuo |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 4,893 Referee: René Hourquet (France) |
| 31 May 1987 |
| Australia | 47–12 | United States |
| Tries: Leeds (2) Penalty try Campese Smith Slack Papworth Codey Con: Lynagh (6) Pen: Lynagh | Try: Nelson Con: Nelson Pen: Nelson Drop: Horton |
| Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 10,855 Referee: Brian Anderson (Scotland) |
| 3 June 1987 |
| England | 34–6 | United States |
| Tries: Winterbottom (2) Harrison Dooley Con: Webb (3) Pen: Webb (4) | Try: Purcell Con: Nelson |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 8,785 Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia) |
| 3 June 1987 |
| Australia | 42–23 | Japan |
| Tries: Slack (2) Burke (2) Tuynman Grigg Hartill Campese Con: Lynagh (5) | Tries: Kutsuki (2) Fujita Con: Okidoi Pen: Okidoi (2) Drop: Okidoi |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 8,785 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland) |
Pool 2
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wales
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 31 | 13 | 6 |
 Ireland
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 84 | 41 | 11 | 4 |
 Canada
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 65 | 90 | 7 | 2 |
 Tonga
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 98 | 3 | 0 |
| 24 May 1987 |
| Canada | 37–4 | Tonga |
| Tries: Palmer (2) Vaesen (2) Stuart Frame Penalty try Con: Wyatt (2) Gareth Rees Pen: Rees | Try: Valu |
| McLean Park, Napier Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Clive Norling (Wales) |
| 25 May 1987 |
| Ireland | 6–13 | Wales |
| Pen: Kiernan (2) | Try: Ring Pen: Thorburn Drop: Davies (2) |
| Athletic Park, Wellington Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia) |
| 29 May 1987 |
| Tonga | 16–29 | Wales |
| Tries: Fielea Fifita Con: Liava'a Pen: Liava'a Amone | Tries: Webbe (3) Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) Drop: Davies |
| Showgrounds Oval, Palmerston North Attendance: 19,000 Referee: David Bishop (New Zealand) |
| 30 May 1987 |
| Canada | 19–46 | Ireland |
| Try: Cardinal Pen: Rees (3) Wyatt Drop: Rees | Tries: Crossan (2) Bradley Spillane Ringland MacNeill Con: Kiernan (5) Pen: Kiernan (2) Drop: Ward Kiernan |
| Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Fred Howard (England) |
| 3 June 1987 |
| Canada | 9–40 | Wales |
| Pen: Rees (3) | Tries: Evans (4) Devereux Bowen Hadley Phillips Con: Thorburn (4) |
| Rugby Park, Invercargill Attendance: 14,000 Referee: David Bishop (New Zealand) |
| 3 June 1987 |
| Ireland | 32–9 | Tonga |
| Tries: Mullin (3) MacNeill (2) Con: Ward (3) Pen: Ward (2) | Pen: Amone (3) |
| Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Guy Maurette (France) |
Pool 3
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 190 | 34 | 30 | 6 |
 Fiji
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 101 | 6 | 2 |
 Argentina
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 90 | 4 | 2 |
 Italy
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 110 | 5 | 2 |
Fiji qualified for the highest number of tries (Fiji 6, Italy 5, Argentina 4)
| 22 May 1987 |
| New Zealand | 70–6 | Italy |
| Tries: Kirwan (2) Kirk (2) Green (2) Penalty try Jones Taylor McDowell Stanley Whetton Con: Fox (8) Pen: Fox (2) | Pen: Collodo Drop: Collodo |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Bob Fordham (Australia) |
| 24 May 1987 |
| Argentina | 9–28 | Fiji |
| Try: Penalty try Con: Porta Pen: Porta | Tries: Gale Naivilawasa Nalaga Savai Con: Koroduadua (2) Rokowailoa Pen: Koroduadua (2) |
| Rugby Park, Hamilton Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland) |
| 27 May 1987 |
| New Zealand | 74–13 | Fiji |
| Tries: Gallagher (4) Green (4) Kirk Kirwan Penalty try Whetton Con: Fox (10) Pen: Fox (2) | Try: Cama Pen: Koroduadua (3) |
| Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales) |
| 28 May 1987 |
| Argentina | 25–16 | Italy |
| Tries: Lanza Gómez Con: Porta Pen:Porta (5) | Tries: Innocenti Cuttitta Con: Collodo Pen: Collodo (2) |
| Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Roger Quittenton (England) |
| 31 May 1987 |
| Fiji | 15–18 | Italy |
| Try: Naivilawasa Con: Koroduadua Pen: Koroduadua (2) Drop: Quro | Tries: Cuttitta Cucchiella Mascioletti Pen: Collodo Drop: Collodo |
| Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand) |
| 1 June 1987 |
| New Zealand | 46–15 | Argentina |
| Tries: Kirk Brooke Stanley Earl Crowley Whetton Con: Fox (2) Pen: Fox (6) | Try: Lanza Con: Porta Pen: Porta (3) |
| Athletic Park, Wellington Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Roger Quittenton (England) |
Pool 4
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 France
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 145 | 44 | 25 | 5 |
 Scotland
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 135 | 69 | 22 | 5 |
 Romania
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 61 | 130 | 5 | 2 |
 Zimbabwe
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 53 | 151 | 5 | 0 |
France qualify as pool winner having scored three tries while Scotland scored two in their drawn match 20 all.
| 23 May 1987 |
| Romania | 21–20 | Zimbabwe |
| Tries: Paraschiv Toader Hodorca Pen: Alexandru (3) | Tries: Tsimba (2) Neill Con: Ferreira Pen: Ferreira (2) |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 4,500 Referee: Stephen Hilditch (Ireland) |
| 23 May 1987 |
| France | 20–20 | Scotland |
| Tries: Sella Berbizier Blanco Con: Blanco Pen: Blanco (2) | Tries: White Duncan Pen: Hastings (4) |
| Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Fred Howard (England) |
| 28 May 1987 |
| France | 55–12 | Romania |
| Tries: Lagisquet (2) Charvet (2) Sella Andrieu Camberabero Erbani Laporte Con: Laporte (8) Pen: Laporte | Pen: Bezuscu (4) |
| Athletic Park, Wellington Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Bob Fordham (Australia) |
| 30 May 1987 |
| Scotland | 60–21 | Zimbabwe |
| Tries: Tait (2) Tukalo (2) Duncan (2) Paxton (2) Oliver Hastings Jeffrey Con: Hastings (8) | Try: Buitendag Con: Grobler Pen: Grobler (5) |
| Athletic Park, Wellington Attendance: 12,000 Referee: David Burnett (Ireland) |
| 2 June 1987 |
| Romania | 28–55 | Scotland |
| Tries: Murariu (2) Toader Con: Alexandru Ion Pen: Alexandru (3) Ion | Tries: Jeffrey (3) Tait (2) Hastings (2) Duncan Tukalo Con: Hastings (8) Pen: Hastings |
| Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Stephen Hilditch (Ireland) |
| 2 June 1987 |
| France | 70–12 | Zimbabwe |
| Tries: Modin (3) Camberabero (3) Charvet (2) Rodriguez (2) Dubroca Estève Laporte Con: Camberabero (9) | Try: Kaulbach Con: Grobler Pen: Grobler (2) |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales) |
Knock-out stage
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 6 June – Lancaster Park, Christchurch | ||||||||||
| New Zealand | 30 | |||||||||
| 14 June – Ballymore, Brisbane | ||||||||||
| Scotland | 3 | |||||||||
| New Zealand | 49 | |||||||||
| 8 June – Ballymore, Brisbane | ||||||||||
| Wales | 6 | |||||||||
| Wales | 16 | |||||||||
| 20 June – Eden Park, Auckland | ||||||||||
| England | 3 | |||||||||
| New Zealand | 29 | |||||||||
| 7 June – Eden Park, Auckland | ||||||||||
| France | 9 | |||||||||
| France | 31 | |||||||||
| 13 June – Concord Oval, Sydney | ||||||||||
| Fiji | 16 | |||||||||
| France | 30 | |||||||||
| 7 June – Concord Oval, Sydney | ||||||||||
| Australia | 24 | Third place | ||||||||
| Australia | 33 | |||||||||
| 18 June – Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua | ||||||||||
| Ireland | 15 | |||||||||
| Wales | 22 | |||||||||
| Australia | 21 | |||||||||
Quarter-finals
| 6 June 1987 |
| New Zealand | 30–3 | Scotland |
| Tries: Whetton Gallagher Con: Fox (2) Pen: Fox (6) | Pen: Hastings |
| Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 30,000 Referee: David Burnett (Ireland) |
| 7 June 1987 |
| Australia | 33–15 | Ireland |
| Tries: Burke (2) McIntyre Smith Con: Lynagh (4) Pen: Lynagh (3) | Tries: MacNeill Kiernan Con: Kiernan (2) Pen: Kiernan |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 14,356 Referee: Brian Anderson (Scotland) |
| 7 June 1987 |
| Fiji | 16–31 | France |
| Tries: Qoro Damu Con: Koroduadua Pen: Koroduadua (2) | Tries: Rodriguez (2) Lorieux Lagisquet Con: Laporte (3) Pen: Laporte (2) Drop: Laporte |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 17,000 Referee: Clive Norling (Wales) |
| 8 June 1987 |
| England | 3–16 | Wales |
| Pen: Webb | Tries: Roberts Jones Devereux Con: Thorburn (2) |
| Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 15,000 Referee: René Hourquet (France) |
Semi-finals
| 13 June 1987 |
| Australia | 24–30 | France |
| Tries: Campese Codey Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (3) Drop: Lynagh | Report | Tries: Lorieux Sella Lagisquet Blanco Con: Camberabero (4) Pen: Camberabero (2) |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 17,768 Referee: Brian Anderson (Scotland) |
| 14 June 1987 |
| New Zealand | 49–6 | Wales |
| Tries: Kirwan (2) Shelford (2) Drake Whetton Stanley Brooke-Cowden Con: Fox (7) Pen: Fox | Report | Try: Devereux Con: Thorburn |
| Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 22,576 Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia) |
Third-place play-off
| 18 June 1987 |
| Australia | 21–22 | Wales |
| Tries: Burke Grigg Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (2) Drop: Lynagh | Report | Tries: Roberts Moriarty Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) |
| Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua Attendance: 29,000 Referee: Fred Howard (England) |
Final
| 20 June 1987 |
| New Zealand | 29-9 | France |
| Tries: Jones Kirk Kirwan Con: Fox Pen: Fox (4) Drop: Fox | Report | Try: Berbizier Con: Camberabero Pen: Camberabero |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 48,035 Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia) |
Broadcasters
The event was broadcast in Australia by ABC and in the United Kingdom by the BBC.
Notes
- ^ Waikato Stadium now stands on the ground's former site.
References
- ^ Alexander Fedorets. "Russians target 2011 World Cup". The M&G Online.
External links
- Use dmy dates from October 2011
- 1987 Rugby World Cup
- 1987 in Australian sport
- 1987 in New Zealand rugby union
- International sports competitions hosted by Australia
- International sports competitions hosted by New Zealand
- Rugby union competitions in Australia
- Rugby union competitions in New Zealand
- Rugby World Cup tournaments