| 1987 Rugby World Cup | |
|---|---|
| 1987-05-22 - 1987-06-20 | |
| Host nations |  New Zealand and |
 Australia |
|
| No. of nations | 16 |
| Champions | New Zealand |
| Runner-up |  France |
| Matches played | 32 |
| Attendance | 604,500 (18,891 per match) |
| Top scorer | Grant Fox (126) |
| Most tries | Craig Green (6) John Kirwan (6) |
| Succeeded by | 1991 Rugby World Cup |
The First Rugby World Cup was hosted by New Zealand and Australia in 1987 and was won by New Zealand. Seven of the 16 places were automatically filled by the International Rugby Football Board members – New Zealand, Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France – with South Africa 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 IRB membership of South Africa.
On the whole the tournament witnessed fairly one-sided matches, the seven IRB 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. It is therefore no surprise that five of the seven highest-scoring Rugby World Cup matches were witnessed during this tournament, a statistic that is echoed in the ‘most points by an individual’ and ‘most tries by a team’ statistics. New Zealand won the final against France at Eden Park in Auckland 29–9. The New Zealand team was captained by David Kirk, substituting for the injured Andy Dalton, and included such rugby greats as Sean Fitzpatrick, John Kirwan, Grant Fox and Michael Jones.
Contents |
Stadiums
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 | |
| Invercargill | Rugby Park Stadium | 17,000 |
| Palmerston North | Showgrounds Oval |
Participating nations
| Africa | Americas | Asia | Europe | Oceania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Format
The World Cup was contested by 16 different nations, in total, playing 32 matches over the duration of the tournament. 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 16 nations were divided into four pools of four nations, with each nation playing their other pool opponents once, every nation playing three times during the group stages. Nations were awarded 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw and zero for a loss, 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.
Pool stage
Pool 1
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 41 | 6 |
 England |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 32 | 4 |
 United States |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 99 | 2 |
 Japan |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 48 | 123 | 0 |
| 1987-05-23 | |||
| Australia |
19 – 6 | England |
Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Keith Lawrence |
| Tries: Campese Poidevin Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh (3) |
Try: Harrison Con: Webb |
| 1987-05-24 | |||
| Japan |
18 – 21 | United States |
Ballymore, Brisbane Referee: Guy Maurette |
| Tries: Taumoefolau (2) Yoshinaga Pen: Yoshinaga Kutsuki |
Tries: Nelson Purcell Lambert Con: Nelson (3) Pen: Nelson |
| 1987-05-30 | |||
| England |
60 – 7 | Japan |
Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Rene Hourquet |
| Tries: Harrison (3) Underwood (2) Salmon Richards Redman Rees Simms Con: Webb (7) Pen: Webb (2) |
Try: Miyamoto Pen: Matsuo |
| 1987-05-31 | |||
| Australia |
47 – 12 | United States |
Ballymore, Brisbane Referee: Brian Anderson  |
| Tries: Leeds (2) Penalty try Campese Smith Slack Papworth Codey Con: Lynagh (6) Pen: Lynagh |
Try: Nelson Con: Nelson Pen: Nelson Drop: Horton |
| 1987-06-03 | |||
| Australia |
42 – 23 | Japan |
Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Jim Fleming |
| Tries: Slack (2) Burke (2) Tuynman Grigg Hartill Campese Con: Lynagh (5) |
Tries: Kutsuki (2) Fujita Con: Okidoi Pen: Okidoi (2) Drop: Okidoi |
| 1987-06-03 | |||
| England |
34 – 6 | United States |
Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald |
| Tries: Winterbottom (2) Harrison Dooley Con: Webb (3) Pen: Webb (4) |
Try: Purcell Con: Nelson |
Pool 2
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wales |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 31 | 6 |
 Ireland |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 84 | 41 | 4 |
 Canada |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 65 | 90 | 2 |
 Tonga |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 98 | 0 |
| 1987-05-24 | |||
| Canada |
37 – 4 | Tonga |
McLean Park, Napier Referee: Clive Norling |
| Tries: Palmer (2) Vaesen (2) Stuart Frame Penalty try Con: Wyatt (2) Gareth Rees Pen: Rees |
Try: Valu |
| 1987-05-25 | |||
| Ireland |
6 – 13 | Wales |
Athletic Park, Wellington Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald |
| Pen: Kiernan (2) | Try: Ring Pen: Thorburn Drop: Davies (2) |
| 1987-05-29 | |||
| Tonga |
16 – 29 | Wales |
Showgrounds Oval, Palmerston North Referee: David Bishop |
| Tries: Fielea Fifita Con: Liava'a Pen: Liava'a Amone |
Tries: Webbe (3) Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) Drop: Davies |
| 1987-05-30 | |||
| Canada |
19 – 46 | Ireland |
Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: Fred Howard |
| Try: Cardinal Pen: Rees (3) Wyatt Drop: Rees |
Tries: Crossan (2) Bradley Spillane Ringland MacNeill Con: Kiernan (5) Pen: Kiernan (2) Drop: Ward Kiernan |
| 1987-06-03 | |||
| Ireland |
32 – 9 | Tonga |
Ballymore, Brisbane Referee: Guy Maurette |
| Tries: Mullin (3) MacNeill (2) Con: Ward (3) Pen: Ward (2) |
Pen: Amone (3) |
| 1987-06-03 | |||
| Canada |
9 – 40 | Wales |
Rugby Park, Invercargill Referee: David Bishop |
| Pen: Rees (3) | Tries: Evans (4) Devereux Bowen Hadley Phillips Con: Thorburn (4) |
Pool 3
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 190 | 34 | 6 |
 Fiji |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 101 | 2 |
 Argentina |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 90 | 2 |
 Italy |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 110 | 2 |
| 1987-05-22 | |||
| New Zealand |
70 – 6 | Italy |
Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Bob Fordham |
| Tries: Kirwan (2) Kirk (2) Green (2) Penalty try Jones Taylor McDowell Stanley Whetton Con: Fox (8) Pen: Fox (2) |
Pen: Collodo Drop: Collodo |
| 1987-05-24 | |||
| Argentina |
9 – 28 | Fiji |
Rugby Park, Hamilton Referee: Jim Fleming |
| Try: Penalty try Con: Porta Pen: Porta |
Tries: Gale Naivilawasa Nalaga Savai Con: Koroduadua (2) Rokowailoa Pen: Koroduadua (2) |
| 1987-05-27 | |||
| New Zealand |
74 – 13 | Fiji |
Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 26,000 Referee: Derek Bevan |
| Tries: Gallagher (4) Green (4) Kirk Kirwan Penalty try Whetton Con: Fox (10) Pen: Fox (2) |
Try: Cama Pen: Koroduadua (3) |
| 1987-05-28 | |||
| Argentina |
25 – 16 | Italy |
Lancaster Park, Christchurch Referee: Roger Quittenton |
| Tries: Lanza Gómez Con: Porta Pen:Porta (5) |
Tries: Innocenti Cuttitta Con: Collodo Pen: Collodo (2) |
| 1987-05-31 | |||
| Fiji |
15 – 18 | Italy |
Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: Keith Lawrence |
| Try: Naivilawasa Con: Koroduadua Pen: Koroduadua (2) Drop: Quro |
Tries: Cuttitta Cucchiella Mascioletti Pen: Collodo Drop: Collodo |
| 1987-06-01 | |||
| New Zealand |
46 – 15 | Argentina |
Athletic Park, Wellington Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Roger Quittenton |
| Tries: Kirk Brooke Stanley Earl Crowley Whetton Con: Fox (2) Pen: Fox (6) |
Try: Lanza Con: Porta Pen: Porta (3) |
Pool 4
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 145 | 44 | 5 |
| Scotland |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 135 | 69 | 5 |
.svg){kind=small} Romania |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 61 | 130 | 2 |
 Zimbabwe |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 53 | 151 | 0 |
| 1987-05-23 | |||
| Romania |
21 – 20 | Zimbabwe |
Eden Park, Auckland Referee: Stephen Hilditch  |
| Tries: Paraschiv Toader Hodorca Pen: Alexandru (3) |
Tries: Tsimba (2) Neill Con: Ferreira Pen: Ferreira (2) |
| 1987-05-23 | |||
| France |
20 – 20 | Scotland |
Lancaster Park, Christchurch Referee: Fred Howard |
| Tries: Sella Berbizier Blanco Con: Blanco Pen: Blanco (2) |
Tries: White Duncan Pen: Hastings (4) |
| 1987-05-28 | |||
| France |
55 – 12 | Romania |
Athletic Park, Wellington Referee: Bob Fordham |
| Tries: Lagisquet (2) Charvet (2) Sella Andrieu Camberabero Erbani Laporte Con: Laporte (8) Pen: Laporte |
Pen: Bezuscu (4) |
| 1987-05-30 | |||
| Scotland |
60 – 21 | Zimbabwe |
Athletic Park, Wellington Referee: David Burnett |
| Tries: Tait (2) Tukalo (2) Duncan (2) Paxton (2) Oliver Hastings Jeffrey Con: Hastings (8) |
Try: Buitendag Con: Grobler Pen: Grobler (5) |
| 1987-06-02 | |||
| Romania |
28 – 55 | Scotland |
Carisbrook, Dunedin Referee: Stephen Hilditch |
| 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 |
| 1987-06-02 | |||
| France |
70 – 12 | Zimbabwe |
Eden Park, Auckland Referee: Derek Bevan |
| Tries: Modin (3) Camberabero (3) Charvet (2) Rodriguez (2) Durboca Esteve Laporte Con: Camberabero (9) |
Try: Kaulbach Con: Grobler Pen: Grobler (2) |
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 | Third place | ||||||||
| 7 June - Concord Oval, Sydney | ||||||||||
| Australia |
24 | |||||||||
| Australia |
33 | Wales |
22 | |||||||
| Ireland |
15 | Australia |
21 | |||||||
| 18 June - Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua | ||||||||||
Quarter-finals
| 1987-06-06 | |||
| New Zealand |
30 – 3 | Scotland |
Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 40,000 Referee: David Burnett |
| Tries: Whetton Gallagher Con: Fox (2) Pen: Fox (6) |
Pen: Hastings |
| 1987-06-07 | |||
| Australia |
33 – 15 | Ireland |
Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Brian Anderson |
| Tries: Burke (2) McIntyre Smith Con: Lynagh (4) Pen: Lynagh (3) |
Tries: MacNeill Kiernan Con: Kiernan (2) Pen: Kiernan |
| 1987-06-07 | |||
| Fiji |
16 – 31 | France |
Eden Park, Auckland Referee: Clive Norling |
| Tries: Qoro Damu Con: Koroduadua Pen: Koroduadua (2) |
Tries: Rodriguez (2) Lorieux Lagisquet Con: Laporte (3) Pen: Laporte (2) Drop: Laporte |
| 1987-06-08 | |||
| England |
3 – 16 | Wales |
Ballymore, Brisbane Referee: Rene Hourquet |
| Pen: Webb | Tries: Roberts Jones Devereux Con: Thorburn (2) |
Semi-finals
| 1987-06-13 | |||
| Australia |
24 – 30 | France |
Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 17,768 Referee: Brian Anderson |
| Tries: Campese Codey Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (3) Drop: Lynagh |
Tries: Lorieux Sella Lagisquet Blanco Con: Camberabero (4) Pen: Camberabero (2) |
| 1987 |