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Subscribe to RSS FeedWorld Cup Finals down the years
Thw 2003 World Cup-winning drop goal
There have been five Rugby World Cup Finals so far - in 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003. They have been great occasions, producing the huge divide between victor and vanquished, the ecstasy of the former, the despair of the latter. They are matches where only victory matters, nothing else, not even the quality of the rugby. They were better occasions than matches
Of the Finals so far those of 1987 and 1999 produced clear-cut winners, that of 1995 was totally gripping as it went into extra time, that of 1991 probably the drabbest and then back to extra time in 2003 and, for the first time, a northern winner.
Of the two teams in the 2007 Final England have been in Finals twice, losing one and winning won. South Africa have been in one Final and won it.
The winners in the first five Finals were all unbeaten at the tournament. South Africa is the only unbeaten side left at the 2007 World Cup.
1987 - New Zealand
New Zealand 29 France 9
Eden Park, Auckland, 20 June 1987
Few doubted that New Zealand would walk it. Throughout the tournament they showed that they had taken rugby to a higher plane than the rest. They were simply better at attack and defence and every component in those two aspects of the game.
France had no answer and were beaten more comfortably than the score suggests. For their part the dominant All Blacks were possibly more conservative than they needed be.
At half-time New Zealand led 9-0 thanks to a try by Michael Jones after a failed dropped goal attempt by Grant Fox. Fox then dropped a goal.
Then France kicked a penalty and Fox kicked four before Jones, the star of the inaugural World Cup, broke and David Kirk surged over in the corner. Then from the kick-off David Kirk enjoyed the scrum-half break of the tournament as he ducked under Pierre Berbizier's tackle, sidestepped Eric Champ and raced 40 metres before sending John Kirwan over.
France then created a French-packaged try as several handled before Pierre Berbizier scored.
Albert Ferasse, France's chairman of the IRB, presented the cup to perky Kirk who held it aloft, and all New Zealand knew that the world was in the right place.
Scorers:
For New Zealand:
Tries: Jones, Kirk, Kirwan
Con: Fox
Pens: Fox 4
Drop: Fox
For France:
Try: Berbizier
Con: Cambérabéro
Pen: Cambérabéro
Teams:
New Zealand: John Gallagher, John Kirwan, Warwick Taylor, Joe Stanley, Craig Green, Grant Fox, David Kirk (captain), Buck Shelford, Alan Whetton, Michael Jones, Gary Whetton, Murray Pierce, Steven McDowell, Sean Fitzpatrick, John Drake
France: Serge Blanco, Didier Cambérabéro, Philippe Sella, Denis Charvet, Patrice Lagisquet, Franck Mesnel, Pierre Berbizier, Laurent Rodriguez, Dominique Erbani, Eric Champ, Alain Lorieux, Jean Condom, Pascal Ondarts, Daniel Dubroca (captain), Jean-Pierre Garuet-Lempirou.
Referee:Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia)
1991 - England
Australia 12 England 6
Twickenham, London, 2 November 1991
In the lead-up to the Final, England ran the gauntlet of much criticism and taunting for their "boring" style of play, especially after their drab semi-final against Scotland, which was in sharp contrast to the Wallabies' thrilling, creative victory over New Zealand in Dublin.
England who had been so conservative, changed and ran the ball. In a reversal of styles, the Wallabies did not. But, as would happen again in 1999 and 2003, the Australian defence was unyielding. They conceded only three tries in the whole 1991 World Cup and they were not about to bow to Jeremy Guscott and Co, even if they were acting out of character. In 2003 they conceded only one try - to the USA.
That said, only a controversial intrusion by David Campese stopped a probable try. Peter Winterbottom passed to Rory Underwood who would have had a clear run to the line, had a Campese's extended hand not got in the way. The referee decided it was a genuine attempt to catch the ball and did not penalise Campese or award a penalty try, as many argue to this day he should have done.
Instead the Wallabies got the only try - not one of three-quarter wizardry but one more in the England mould. Willie Ofahengaue won a line-out on the England line and the Wallaby pack drove prop Tony Daly over for the only try of the match.
Queen Elizabeth II presented the Webb Ellis Cup to Nick Farr-Jones, smiling widely.
Scorers:
For Australia:
Try: Daly
Con: Lynagh
Pens: Lynagh 2
For England:
Pens: Webb 2
Teams:
Australia: Marty Roebuck, David Campese, Jason Little, Tim Horan, Bob Egerton, Michael Lynagh, Nick Farr-Jones (captain), Troy Coker, Simon Poidevin, Willie Ofahengaue, Rod McCall, John Eales, Ewen McKenzie, Phil Kearns, Tony Daly.
England: Jon Webb, Rory Underwood, Jerry Guscott, Will Carling (captain), Simon Halliday, Rob Andrew, Richard Hill, Mike Teague, Peter Winterbottom, Mickey Skinner, Wade Dooley, Paul Ackford, Jeff Probyn, Brian Moore, Jason Leonard.
Referee:Derek Bevan (Wales)
1995 - South Africa
South Africa 15 New Zealand 12
Ellis Park, Johannesburg, 24 June 1995
This was the great occasion of the first four World Cups - the party atmosphere, the colourful, cheerful closing ceremony, the Boeing flying just above the stadium to wish the Bokke well and then a match which ran into extra time and the unforgettable sight of the President Nelson Mandela in his number six jersey, one of the emotional figures of history, handing the trophy to the captain in his number six jersey. And a divided nation danced happily in the streets to the same tune.
It was a match without a single try, the only such Final. It was the first World Cup Final to run into extra time. Kicks counted and it was the greatest kick in the history of the game that decided the outcome - a soaring dropped goal from a scrum kicked by Joel Stransky, the Springbok fly-half.
Again, as in 1991, defence won. The All Blacks attacked, the Springboks tackled. They even subdued the might of Jonah Lomu, scrambling past each other to get at the All Black giant who had so destroyed England.
In the first half Stransky kicked two penalties and a dropped goal, Andrew Mehrtens two penalties. Mehrtens kicked a second penalty in the second half and then missed a "sitter" of a dropped goal.
There had been slim chances to score tries. Japie Mulder tackled Lomu into touch at the corner, James Small ran free only to be recalled for a forward pass. Reuben Kruger believed he did score.
Normal time elapsed and the teams went into exhausting extra time, ten minutes each way.
Mehrtens scored first with a long penalty goal. Just before half-time in extra time Stransky levelled the scores.
In the last ten minutes the Springboks dominated and eventually Stransky dropped the goal and Nelson Mandela gave François Pienaar - and 43 million other South Africans - the World Cup.
Scorers:
For South Africa:
Pens: Stransky 3
Drops: Stransky 2
For New Zealand:
Pens: Mehrtens 3
Drop: Mehrtens
Teams:
South Africa: André Joubert, James Small, Japie Mulder, Hennie le Roux, Chester Williams, Joel Stransky, Joost van der Westhuizen, Mark Andrews, François Pienaar (captain), Ruben Kruger, Kobus Wiese, Hannes Strydom, Balie Swart, Chris Rossouw, Os du Randt.
Replacements:Garry Pagel, Rudolf Straeuli, Brendan Venter
New Zealand: Glen Osborne, Jeff Wilson, Walter Little, Frank Bunce, Jonah Lomu, Andrew Mehrtens, Graeme Bachop, Zinzan Brooke, Josh Kronfeld, Mike Brewer, Ian Jones, Robin Brooke, Craig Dowd, Sean Fitzpatrick (captain), Olo Brown.
Replacements:Marc Ellis, Jamie Joseph, Richard Loe, Ant Strachan
Referee:Ed Morrison (England)
1999 - Wales
Australia 35 France 12
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, 6 November 1999
France had worked a miracle befitting Lourdes in rising from the dead at Twickenham to run rings around the All Blacks in the semi-final. Now they came to the new glory of Cardiff's rugby - Millennium Stadium and all its grandeur - and at last a city which embraced the World Cup and the happy crowds in its streets and pubs.
The occasion was, field condition apart, splendid, the match one-sided, for the French abandoned the elan and panache of Twickenham as if winning that miracle match was their World Cup. In fact they swapped glory for some pretty tawdry practices that led John Eales, Australia's noble captain, to warn that he would take his team off the field.
The adamantine Australian defence, which yielded only a single try in the whole World Cup, was, as in 1991, unbudging and gave the French only kicked scores.
Despite creative spirits such as Stephen Larkham, Tim Horan who was voted the player of the World Cup, Ben Tune and Matthew Burke, the Wallabies could manage only two tries and the French managed to stay in touch for much of the game's first half.
Abdelatif Benazzi thought he had scored a try but was brought back for an earlier knock-on but half-time came and four kicks were ahead of two, 12-6 to Australia.
With a quarter of an hour to go, George Gregan, Horan and Owen Finegan got together to bundle Ben Tune over. Their only other try came deep in injury time when Gregan broke from a line-out and played inside to Finegan. The burly flank rumbled on and on and undeviatingly on to score for a try that made the score look like a hiding.
Queen Elizabeth II gave the cup to John Eales and Australia became the first team to win the Webb Ellis Cup twice, the only team to win it away from home.
The Wallabies stuffed Bill into their pouch and waltzed off home as heroes.
Scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Finegan, Tune
Cons: Burke 2
Pens: Burke 7
For France:
Pens: Lamaison 4
Teams:
Australia: Matthew Burke, Ben Tune, Dan Herbert, Tim Horan, Joe Roff, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan, Toutai Kefu, David Wilson, Matt Cockbain, David Giffin, John Eales (captain), Richard Harry, Michael Foley, Andrew Blades.
Replacements:Mark Connors, Dan Crowley, Owen Finegan, Nathan Grey, Jason Little, Jeremy Paul, Chris Whitaker.
France: Xavier Garbajosa, Philippe Bernat-Salles, Emile Ntamack, Richard Dourthe, Christophe Dominci, Christophe Lamaison, Fabien Galthié, Christophe Juillet, Olivier Magne, Marc Lièvremont, Fabien Pelous, Abdelatif Benazzi, Franck Tournaire, Raphaël Ibañez (captain), Cédric Soulette.
Replacements:Olivier Brouzet, Arnaud Costes, Marc Dal Maso, Pieter de Villiers, Stéphane Glas, Ugo Mola, Stéphane Castaignède.
Referee:André Watson (South Africa)
2003 - Australia
England 20 Australia 17
Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Like England in 2007, Australia were playing in their second consecutive final. Both Australia and England had won well in the semi-finals - against New Zealand and France - and it was clear that the best teams would contest the final.
It turned out to be a stern contest, a try apiece, extra time and, as in 1995, the outcome decided by a dropped goal.
Lote Tuqiri scored first when Stephen Larkham kicked a high diagonal and Tuqiri was too tall for Robinson. That gave the Wallabies a 5-0 lead but then Wilkinson kicked three penalties and Robinson got his own back, scurrying over in the corner. This gave England a 14-5 lead at half-time.
They did not score again in the second half while Flatley goaled three penalties. It was only in extra time that England scored, 34 minutes after Robinson's try.
England were the better side with their powerful pack, and they had two players of enormous stature - Martin Johnson at lock and Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half.
Twice, as normal time ebbed away, Australia levelled the scores. Full time came at 14-all after Elton Flatley had levelled the scores right at the end of normal time. England went up to 17-14 but Flatley again levelled the scores. Then with a minute left England went on the attack, Matt Dawson broke, and Jonny Wilkinson kicked the winning drop. Like Stransky before him Wilkinson did it with his right boot though he was mainly a left-footer.
Scorers:
For England:
Try: Robinson
Pens: Wilkinson 4
Drop: Wilkinson
For Australia:
Try: Tuqiri
Pens: Flatley 4
Teams:
Australia: Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, Stirling Mortlock, Elton Flatley, Lote Tuqiri, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan, David Lyons, Phil Waugh, George Smith, Nathan Sharpe, Justin Harrison, Al Baxter, Brendan Cannon, Bill Young
Replacements:Jeremy Paul, Matt Dunning, David Giffin, Matt Cockbain, Chris Whitaker, Matt Giteau, Joe Roff
England: Josh Lewsey, Jason Robinson, Will Greenwood, Mike Tindall, Ben Cohen, Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Matt Dawson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Neil Back, Richard Hill, Ben Kay, Martin Johnson (captain), Phil Vickery, Steve Thompson, Trevor Woodman
Replacements: Dorian West, Jason Leonard, Martin Corry, Lewis Moody, Kyran Bracken, Mike Catt, Iain Balshaw
Referee:André Watson (South Africa)
