The History of the Rugby World Cup

What is the Rugby World Cup?

The Rugby World Cup is a sporting event that takes place every four years where national rugby union teams compete to be crowned the best in the world. The tournament has been held every four years since 1987, with each competition followed by a one-year break to allow for a new host nation to prepare for the event. The next Rugby World Cup will take place in France in September and October 2023.

The History of the Rugby World Cup

The rugby World Cup was first hosted in 1987 in New Zealand and Australia, with the All Blacks winning the tournament over France. The tournament was then held every four years until the 1991 event was cancelled due to the first Gulf War. The tournament returned in 1995, when South Africa hosted the event. The competition has been held every four years since then, with the exception of 2003, when the tournament was put on hold to host a professional rugby union world cup. Since then, both tournaments have been held concurrently every four years. New Zealand has dominated the rugby world cup since its inception. The All Blacks have won the tournament twice as hosts and are currently the reigning champions with their victory in 2015. Australia has also had some success at the tournament, winning the rugby world cup twice and finishing runner-up once.

Why is rugby union so popular?

Rugby union is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is played in more than 100 countries and boasts an impressive TV audience of around 80 million worldwide. The sport is played by teams of 15 players who have to score as many points as possible by kicking the ball between the opposing team’s goal posts. Rugby union is a full-contact sport played in both a 15-a-side and 7-a-side format. Rugby union also has a unique aspect of not being part of the Olympic games. This means that the world cup is the pinnacle of the sport and the only time rugby union is on the world stage.

What are the rules of Rugby Union?

- Each team consists of 15 players, with two of those being the “hookers” who are the only players allowed to throw the ball in the scrum.

- Each team’s objective is to kick the ball between the opposing team’s goalposts.

- A team scores three points if they successfully kick the ball between the posts with a “drop kick”.

- A team scores two points if they kick the ball between the posts with a “place kick”.

- A team scores one point if they kick the ball between the posts with a “scrummage kick”.

- If a team successfully kicks the ball between the posts but the opposition catches it before it hits the ground, the opposition scores a “try”. A try is worth five points.

- A team can have up to 15 fouls before they earn a yellow card, which disqualifies them from the game.

How to qualify for the Rugby World Cup?

The host nation of each rugby world cup automatically qualifies for the tournament. The remaining 20 places are determined by each continent’s qualification process. The qualification process for the 2019 Rugby World Cup started in 2016 and will end in the summer of 2019 with the final matches of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Key Moments in the History of the Rugby World Cup

1987 – New Zealand and Australia hosted the inaugural rugby world cup, which was the first time the event was held outside of the famed “home of rugby”, England.

1991 – Due to the first Gulf War, the 1991 rugby world cup was cancelled. The 1991 event was the only rugby world cup to be skipped.

1995 – South Africa hosted the re-introduced rugby world cup. The event took place at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.

2003 – The 2003 rugby world cup was held alongside the professional rugby union world cup, mainly due to the fact that the two events would clash every four years.

2007 – The 2007 rugby world cup was held in France, with the final being played at the Stade de France, Paris.

2011 – The 2011 rugby world cup was held in New Zealand and Australia. The final was played at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.

2015 – England hosted the 2015 rugby world cup with the final being played at the Twickenham Stadium, the home of the English Rugby Union.

Conclusion

The rugby world cup is the most important event in rugby union, bringing together the best teams across the globe for an intense month of action. The next rugby world cup will be played in France in 2023, with the host nation and reigning champions South Africa looking to defend their title. The event is the most anticipated sporting event of the year and is a must-see for any sports fans.