The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition contested by the men’s national teams of the member unions of World Rugby. The tournament has been held every four years since its inception in 1987. The winners of the Rugby World Cup are as follows:
Here is a list of the recent Rugby World Cup winners:
- 1987: New Zealand – The inaugural Rugby World Cup was held in New Zealand and Australia. The All Blacks defeated France 29-9 in the final to become the first-ever Rugby World Cup champions.
- 1991: Australia – The second Rugby World Cup was held in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France. The Wallabies defeated England 12-6 in the final to win their first Rugby World Cup.
- 1995: South Africa – The third Rugby World Cup was held in South Africa. The Springboks defeated the All Blacks 15-12 in the final to win their first Rugby World Cup. This tournament was notable for being the first major international sporting event to be held in South Africa after the end of apartheid.
- 1999: Australia – The fourth Rugby World Cup was held in Wales. The Wallabies defeated France 35-12 in the final to win their second Rugby World Cup.
- 2003: England – The fifth Rugby World Cup was held in Australia. The England team, led by captain Martin Johnson, defeated Australia 20-17 in the final to win their first Rugby World Cup.
- 2007: South Africa – The sixth Rugby World Cup was held in France. The Springboks defeated England 15-6 in the final to win their second Rugby World Cup.
- 2011: New Zealand – The seventh Rugby World Cup was held in New Zealand. The All Blacks defeated France 8-7 in the final to win their second Rugby World Cup.
- 2015: Australia – The eight Rugby World Cup was held in England. The Wallabies defeated New Zealand 34-17 in the final to win their third Rugby World Cup.
- 2019: South Africa – The ninth Rugby World Cup was held in Japan. The Springboks defeated England 32-12 in the final to win their third Rugby World Cup, becoming the first team to win the tournament three times.
In addition to the winners, notable finalists and semi-finalists include: France, who reached the final in 1987, 1999 and 2011; Wales, who reached the semi-finals in 1987, 2011 and 2019; and Scotland, who reached the semi-finals in 1991 and 2007.
Overall, New Zealand and South Africa are the most successful Rugby World Cup teams, each having won the tournament three times. Australia and England have each won the tournament twice, while France has reached the final three times without winning. The Rugby World Cup is considered to be the pinnacle of the sport and the winners are celebrated as national heroes in their respective countries.