1987 Rugby World Cup

The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the tournament. New Zealand hosted 21 matches (17 pool stage matches, two quarter-finals, the third-place play-off and the final) while Australia hosted 11 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 came in third: 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.

1987 Rugby World Cup

Tournament details
Host nations	New Zealand  Australia
Dates	22 May – 20 June (30 days)
No. of nations	16
Final positions
Champions	New Zealand
Runner-up	France
Third place	Wales
Tournament statistics
Matches played	32
Attendance	478,449 (14,952 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Grant Fox (126)
Most tries	Craig Green John Kirwan (6 tries each)
1991 →

Sixteen teams competed in the inaugural tournament. Seven of the 16 places were automatically filled by the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) members – New Zealand, Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France. South Africa was unable to compete because of the international sporting 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 declined 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 viable in the long term. 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.

Participating nations

There was no qualification for the inaugural World Cup so the tournament comprised the seven members of the IRFB, with the remaining nine places filled by teams invited by the IRFB.

IRFB Member Nations	Invited Nations
England  France  Ireland  Australia  New Zealand  Scotland  Wales	Zimbabwe  Argentina  Canada  United States  Japan  Italy  Romania  Fiji  Tonga

• South Africa was excluded due to its pro-apartheid policies.

Venues

Auckland	Wellington	Christchurch	Dunedin
Eden Park	Athletic Park	Lancaster Park	Carisbrook
Capacity: 48,000	Capacity: 39,000	Capacity: 36,500	Capacity: 35,000
Rotorua	Napier	Hamilton	Brisbane
Rotorua International Stadium	McLean Park	Rugby Park	Ballymore Stadium
Capacity: 35,000	Capacity: 30,000	Capacity: 30,000	Capacity: 24,000
Sydney	Invercargill	Palmerston North
Concord Oval	Rugby Park Stadium	Showgrounds Oval
Capacity: 20,000	Capacity: 30,000	Capacity: 20,000

Squads

Main article: 1987 Rugby World Cup squads

Referees

Kerry Fitzgerald Bob Fordham Fred Howard Roger Quittenton René Hourquet Guy Maurette David Burnett

Stephen Hilditch Dave Bishop  Keith Lawrence Brian Anderson Jim Fleming Derek Bevan Clive Norling

Pools and format

Pool 1	Pool 2	Pool 3	Pool 4
Australia  England  Japan  United States	Canada  Ireland  Tonga  Wales	Argentina  Fiji  Italy  New Zealand	France  Romania  Scotland  Zimbabwe

• 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 nations. There was no qualifying tournament to determine the participants; 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 teams divided into four pools of four, with each team playing the others in their pool once, for a total of three matches per team in the pool stage. Nations were awarded two points for a win, one for a draw and none 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. A standard single-elimination tournament followed, with the losers of the semi-finals contesting an additional play-off match to determine third place.

A total of 32 matches (24 in the pool stage and eight in the knock-out stage) were played in the tournament over 29 days from 22 May to 20 June 1987.

Pool stage

Pool 1

Main article: 1987 Rugby World Cup 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
Try: Campese Poidevin Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh (3)		Try: Harrison Con: Webb

Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 17,896 Referee: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand)

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24 May 1987

Japan	18–21	United States
Try: Taumoefolau (2) Yoshinaga Pen: Yoshinaga Kutsuki		Try: Nelson Purcell Lambert Con: Nelson (3) Pen: Nelson

Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Guy Maurette (France)

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30 May 1987

England	60–7	Japan
Try: 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)

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31 May 1987

Australia	47–12	United States
Try: 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)

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3 June 1987

England	34–6	United States
Try: Winterbottom (2) Harrison Dooley Con: Webb (3) Pen: Webb (4)		Try: Purcell Con: Nelson

Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 8,785 Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia)

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3 June 1987

Australia	42–23	Japan
Try: Slack (2) Burke (2) Tuynman Grigg Hartill Campese Con: Lynagh (5)		Try: Kutsuki (2) Fujita Con: Okidoi Pen: Okidoi (2) Drop: Okidoi

Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 8,785 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

Pool 2

Main article: 1987 Rugby World Cup 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
Try: 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)

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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)

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29 May 1987

Tonga	16–29	Wales
Try: Fielea Fifita Con: Liavaʻa Pen: Liavaʻa Amone		Try: Webbe (3) Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) Drop: Davies

Showgrounds Oval, Palmerston North Attendance: 19,000 Referee: Dave Bishop (New Zealand)

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30 May 1987

Canada	19–46	Ireland
Try: Cardinal Pen: Rees (3) Wyatt Drop: Rees		Try: Crossan (2) Bradley Spillane Ringland MacNeill Con: Kiernan (5) Pen: Kiernan (2) Drop: Ward Kiernan

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Fred Howard (England)

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3 June 1987

Canada	9–40	Wales
Pen: Rees (3)		Try: Evans (4) Devereux Bowen Hadley Phillips Con: Thorburn (4)

Rugby Park, Invercargill Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Dave Bishop (New Zealand)

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3 June 1987

Ireland	32–9	Tonga
Try: Mullin (3) MacNeill (2) Con: Ward (3) Pen: Ward (2)		Pen: Amone (3)

Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Guy Maurette (France)

Pool 3

Main article: 1987 Rugby World Cup 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
Italy	3	1	0	2	40	110	5	2
Argentina	3	1	0	2	49	90	4	2

22 May 1987

New Zealand	70–6	Italy
Try: Kirwan (2) Kirk (2) Green (2) Penalty try Jones Taylor McDowall Stanley Whetton Con: Fox (8) Pen: Fox (2)		Pen: Collodo Drop: Collodo

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Bob Fordham (Australia)

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24 May 1987

Argentina	9–28	Fiji
Try: Penalty try Con: Porta Pen: Porta		Try: Gale Naivilawasa Nalaga Savai Con: Koroduadua (2) Rokowailoa Pen: Koroduadua (2)

Rugby Park, Hamilton Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

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27 May 1987

New Zealand	74–13	Fiji
Try: 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)

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28 May 1987

Argentina	25–16	Italy
Try: Lanza Gómez Con: Porta Pen: Porta (5)		Try: Innocenti Cuttitta Con: Collodo Pen: Collodo (2)

Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Roger Quittenton (England)

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31 May 1987

Fiji	15–18	Italy
Try: Naivilawasa Con: Koroduadua Pen: Koroduadua (2) Drop: Qoro		Try: Cuttitta Cucchiella Mascioletti Pen: Collodo Drop: Collodo

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand)

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1 June 1987

New Zealand	46–15	Argentina
Try: 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

Main article: 1987 Rugby World Cup 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

23 May 1987

Romania	21–20	Zimbabwe
Try: Paraschiv Toader Hodorca Pen: Alexandru (3)		Try: Tsimba (2) Neill Con: Ferreira Pen: Ferreira (2)

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 4,500 Referee: Stephen Hilditch (Ireland)

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23 May 1987

France	20–20	Scotland
Try: Sella Berbizier Blanco Con: Blanco Pen: Blanco (2)		Try: White Duncan Pen: Hastings (4)

Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Fred Howard (England)

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28 May 1987

France	55–12	Romania
Try: 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)

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30 May 1987

Scotland	60–21	Zimbabwe
Try: 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)

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2 June 1987

Romania	28–55	Scotland
Try: Murariu (2) Toader Con: Alexandru Ion Pen: Alexandru (3) Ion		Try: Jeffrey (3) Tait (2) Hastings (2) Duncan Tukalo Con: Hastings (8) Pen: Hastings

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Stephen Hilditch (Ireland)

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2 June 1987

France	70–12	Zimbabwe
Try: Modin (3) Camberabero (3) Charvet (2) Rodriguez (2) Dubroca Estève Laporte Con: Camberabero (9)		Try: Kaulback Con: Grobler Pen: Grobler (2)

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

Knockout 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
Try: Whetton Gallagher Con: Fox (2) Pen: Fox (6)		Pen: Hastings

Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 30,000 Referee: David Burnett (Ireland)

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7 June 1987

Australia	33–15	Ireland
Try: Burke (2) McIntyre Smith Con: Lynagh (4) Pen: Lynagh (3)		Try: MacNeill Kiernan Con: Kiernan (2) Pen: Kiernan

Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 14,356 Referee: Brian Anderson (Scotland)

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7 June 1987

Fiji	16–31	France
Try: Qoro Damu Con: Koroduadua Pen: Koroduadua (2)		Try: Rodriguez (2) Lorieux Lagisquet Con: Laporte (3) Pen: Laporte (2) Drop: Laporte

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 17,000 Referee: Clive Norling (Wales)

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8 June 1987

England	3–16	Wales
Pen: Webb		Try: Roberts Jones Devereux Con: Thorburn (2)

Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 15,000 Referee: René Hourquet (France)

Semi-finals

13 June 1987

Australia	24–30	France
Try: Campese Codey Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (3) Drop: Lynagh	Report	Try: Lorieux Sella Lagisquet Blanco Con: Camberabero (4) Pen: Camberabero (2)

Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 17,768 Referee: Brian Anderson (Scotland)

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14 June 1987

New Zealand	49–6	Wales
Try: 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
Try: Burke Grigg Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (2) Drop: Lynagh	Report	Try: Roberts Moriarty Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2)

Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua Attendance: 29,000 Referee: Fred Howard (England)

Final

Main article: 1987 Rugby World Cup Final

20 June 1987

New Zealand	29–9	France
Try: 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)

Statistics

Main article: 1987 Rugby World Cup statistics

The tournament's top point scorer was New Zealand's Grant Fox, who scored 126 points. Craig Green and John Kirwan scored the most tries, six in total.

Top 10 point scorers

Player	Team	Position	Played	Tries	Conv­ersions	Penal­ties	Drop goals	Total points
Grant Fox	New Zealand	First five-eighth	6	0	30	21	1	126
Michael Lynagh	Australia	Fly-half	6	0	20	12	2	82
Gavin Hastings	Scotland	Fullback	4	3	16	6	0	62
Didier Camberabero	France	Fly-half	5	4	14	3	0	53
Jonathan Webb	England	Fullback	4	0	11	7	0	43
Guy Laporte	France	Fly-half	3	2	11	3	1	42
Paul Thorburn	Wales	Fullback	6	0	11	5	0	37
Mike Kiernan	Ireland	Centre	3	1	7	5	1	36
Severo Koroduadua	Fiji	Fullback	4	0	4	9	0	35
Hugo Porta	Argentina	Fly-half	3	0	3	9	0	33

Broadcasters

The event was broadcast in Australia by ABC and in the United Kingdom by the BBC.

References

1. Fedorets, Alexander. "Russians target 2011 World Cup". The M&G Online.