Records and statistics of the Rugby World Cup


Overall

Team

Titles

TeamTitlesTournaments
[|3]1987, 2011, 2015
31995, 2007, 2019
[|2]1991, 1999
[|1]2003

Title win rate

TeamWin rate
42.86%
33.33%
22.22%
11.11%

Points

PointsTeamOpponentScoreDate
145145–174 June 1995
142142–024 October 2003
111111–132 November 2003
108108–1315 September 2007
101101–314 October 1999
101101–1015 October 1999

Margins

MarginTeamOpponentScoreDate
142142–024 October 2003
128145–174 June 1995
98101–314 October 1999
98111–132 November 2003
95108–1315 September 2007

Tries

TriesTeamOpponentScoreDate
22142–024 October 2003
21145–174 June 1995
17111–132 November 2003
16108–1315 September 2007
14101–314 October 1999

Individual

Points

PointsNameTeamApp.TriesCon.Pen.DropTournaments
277Jonny Wilkinson1912858141999, 2003, 2007, 2011
227Gavin Hastings139393601987, 1991, 1995
195Michael Lynagh154363321987, 1991, 1995
191Dan Carter153581732003, 2007, 2011, 2015
170Grant Fox100373111987, 1991

PointsNameTeamTournament
126Grant Fox1987
113Jonny Wilkinson2003
112Thierry Lacroix1995
105Percy Montgomery2007
104Gavin Hastings1995

PointsNameTeamOpponentDate
45Simon Culhane4 June 1995
44Gavin Hastings26 May 1995
42Mat Rogers25 October 2003
36Tony Brown14 October 1999
36Paul Grayson15 October 1999

Tries

TriesNameTeamTournaments
15Jonah Lomu1995–1999
15Bryan Habana2007–2015
14Drew Mitchell2007–2015
13Doug Howlett2003–2007
12Adam Ashley-Cooper2007–2019

TriesNameTeamTournament
8Jonah Lomu1999
8Bryan Habana2007
8Julian Savea2015
7Marc Ellis1995
7Jonah Lomu1995
7Doug Howlett2003
7Mils Muliaina2003
7Drew Mitchell2007
7Josh Adams2019

TriesNameTeamOpponentDate
6Marc Ellis4 June 1995
5Chris Latham25 October 2003
5Josh Lewsey2 November 2003
4John Gallagher27 May 1987
4Craig Green27 May 1987
4Ieuan Evans3 June 1987
4Brian Robinson6 October 1991
4Gavin Hastings26 May 1995
4Chester Williams10 June 1995
4Jonah Lomu18 June 1995
4Keith Wood2 October 1999
4Mils Muliaina17 October 2003
4Bryan Habana9 September 2007
4Vereniki Goneva10 September 2011
4Zac Guildford2 October 2011

Youngest try scorer in a World Cup game
Oldest try scorer in a World Cup game
Con.NameTeamTournaments
58Dan Carter2003–2015
39Gavin Hastings1987–1995
37Grant Fox1987–1991
36Michael Lynagh1987–1995
28Jonny Wilkinson1999–2011

Con.NameTeamTournament
30Grant Fox1987
23Dan Carter2015
22Percy Montgomery2007
20Michael Lynagh1987
20Simon Culhane1995
20Leon MacDonald2003
20Nick Evans2007
20Richie Mo'unga2019

Con.NameTeamOpponentDate
20Simon Culhane4 June 1995
16Mat Rogers25 October 2003
14Nick Evans15 September 2007
12Paul Grayson15 October 1999
12Leon MacDonald24 October 2003

Penalty goals

Pen.NameTeamTournaments
58Jonny Wilkinson1999–2011
39Handre Pollard2015–2019
36Gavin Hastings1987–1995
35Gonzalo Quesada1999–2003
33Michael Lynagh1987–1995
33Andrew Mehrtens1995–1999

Pen.NameTeamTournament
31Gonzalo Quesada1999
26Thierry Lacroix1995
23Handré Pollard2015
23Jonny Wilkinson2003
21Grant Fox1987
21Elton Flatley2003

Pen.NameTeamOpponentDate
8Gavin Hastings 30 May 1995
8Thierry Lacroix10 June 1995
8Gonzalo Quesada10 October 1999
8Matt Burke30 October 1999
7Gonzalo Quesada16 October 1999
7Jonny Wilkinson20 October 1999
7David Humphreys20 October 1999
7Gonzalo Quesada20 October 1999
7Matt Burke6 November 1999
7Piri Weepu9 October 2011
7Dan Biggar26 September 2015

Drop goals

DropNameTeamTournaments
14Jonny Wilkinson1999–2011
6Jannie de Beer1999
5Rob Andrew1987–1995
5Gareth Rees1987–1999
4Juan Martín Hernández2003–2015

DropNameTeamTournament
8Jonny Wilkinson2003
6Jannie de Beer1999
5Jonny Wilkinson2007
4Juan Martín Hernández2007
3Jonathan Davies1987
3Rob Andrew1995
3Andrew Mehrtens1995
3Joel Stransky1995
3Gregor Townsend1999
3Theuns Kotzé2011
3Dan Parks2011

DropNameTeamOpponentDate
5Jannie de Beer24 October 1999
3Juan Martín Hernández30 September 2007
3Theuns Kotzé10 September 2011
3Jonny Wilkinson16 November 2003

Appearance statistics

App.NameTeamTournaments
22Jason Leonard1991–2003
22Richie McCaw2003–2015
21Alun Wyn Jones2007–2019
20Schalk Burger2003–2015
20George Gregan1995–2007
20Keven Mealamu2003–2015
20---

App.NameTeamTournaments
20Richie McCaw2003–2015
19Keven Mealamu2003–2015
18Sonny Bill Williams2011–2019
18Sam Whitelock2011–2019
17François Steyn2007–2019

App.NameTeamTournaments
14Eugene Jantjies2007–2019
12Ovidiu Tonița2003–2015
12D.T.H. van der Merwe2007–2019
11Jacques Burger2007–2015
11Jamie Cudmore2003–2015
11Tinus du Plessis2007–2015
11Romeo Gontineac1995–2007
11Hugo Horn1999–2011
11Merab Kvirikashvili2003–2015
11Johnny Redelinghuys2007–2015

Oldest player to appear in a World Cup match
Oldest player to appear in a World Cup final
Oldest player to win a World Cup final
Youngest player to appear in a World Cup match
Youngest player to appear in a World Cup final
Youngest player to win a World Cup final
Note: * denotes an all-time record

Miscellaneous

Winning coaches and captains

A foreign coach has never managed a World Cup-winning team. In the case of England, which is part of the United Kingdom and also one of the four Home Nations within the context of rugby, their Cup-winning coach was also an Englishman.
YearHostChampionWinning coachWinning captain
1987AUS
NZL
Brian Lochore David Kirk
1991ENG
FRA
IRL
SCO
WAL
Bob Dwyer Nick Farr-Jones
1995RSA Kitch Christie Francois Pienaar
1999WAL
ENG
FRA
IRE
SCO
Rod MacQueen John Eales
2003AUS Clive Woodward Martin Johnson
2007FRA
SCO
WAL
Jake White John Smit
2011NZL Graham Henry Richie McCaw
2015ENG
WAL
Steve Hansen Richie McCaw
2019JPN Rassie Erasmus Siya Kolisi

Draws

TeamScoreOpponentDate
20–2023 May 1987
12–1212 September 2007
23–2327 September 2011
0–012 October 2019
0–012 October 2019
0–013 October 2019

Nil points

TeamScoreOpponentDate
0–8926 May 1995
0–203 June 1995
0–4816 October 1999
0–3614 September 2007
0–4218 September 2007
0–4023 September 2007
0–3026 September 2007
0–8722 September 2011
0–662 October 2011
0–647 October 2015
0–3430 September 2019
0–632 October 2019
0–353 October 2019
0–619 October 2019
0–012 October 2019
0–012 October 2019
0–013 October 2019

Highest attendance

The highest number of Head-to-Head matches between two nations currently stands at seven meetings, encompassing five teams in three Rugby World Cup rivalries. On the other end of the table, there are currently sixty-eight Head-to-Head meetings involving one game between two nations. The following table lists the Head-to-Head statistics of the Rugby World Cup, ranging from the inaugural tournament in 1987 to the latest tournament in 2019. It is organised first numerically, with the more Head-to-Head meetings appearing at the top of the table and the less number of meetings, such as one meeting between two nations appearing at the bottom of the table, and second, alphabetically by teams.
Legend-
R1Round 1
R2Round 2
QFQuarter-Final
SFSemi-Final
3rd3rd/4th Place Playoff
FFinal

GamesTeam 1Head-2-Head Wins Team 2YearRounds
73–41987, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2019R1, F, QF, F, QF, R1, QF
75–21987, 1991, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2015, 20193rd, R1, QF, R1,, R1, R1
72–51987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2011, 2015F, SF, 3rd, QF, R1,, QF
63–2
1991, 1995, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2019QF, 3rd, SF, SF, QF, R1
60–5
1987, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2019R1, R1, R1, R1, R1, R1
54–11987, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2011QF, QF, R1, R1, R1
51–41999, 2003, 2007, 2007, 2019QF, R1, R1, F, F
55–01987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2007QF, 3rd, QF, QF, R1
53–21995, 1999, 2003, 2015, 2019F, 3rd, QF, SF, R1
50–51995, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015QF, R1, R1, R1, R1
42–21999, 2007, 2007, 2019QF, R1, 3rd, R1
43–11999, 2003, 2007, 2015R2, R1, R1, QF
42–21991, 2003, 2011, 2015SF, SF, SF, F
40–41991, 1999, 2011, 2015R1, R1, R1, R1
40–41991, 2003, 2011, 2019QF, R1, R1, R1
41–31991, 1995, 1999, 2019R1, SF, R1, SF
44–01987, 1991, 2007, 2019R1, R1, R1, R1
40–41987, 1991, 1999, 2003QF, R1, R1, R1
41–32007, 2011, 2015, 2019R1, R1, R1, R1
43–11995, 2003, 2007, 2015QF, QF, R1, R1
41–31991, 2003, 2015, 2019R1, R1, R1, R1
44–01999, 2003, 2011, 2015R1, R1, R1, R1
44–01987, 1995, 2003, 2019SF, R1, R1, 3rd
40–41991, 1999, 2015, 2019QF, R2, R1, R1
30–31991, 2003, 2015R1, R1, SF
30–31995, 2011, 2019R1, R1, R1
33–02007, 2011, 2015R1, R1, R1
33–02003, 2007, 2015R1, R1, R1
30–31987, 2011, 2015R1, QF, R1
31–21991, 1995, 1999R1, R1, R1
33–02007, 2015, 2019R1, R1, R1
33–01995, 1999, 2003R1, R1, R1
32–11995, 1999, 2011R1, SF, QF
33–01987, 1999, 2011R1, R1, R1
31–21991, 1999, 2007R1, R1, R1
30–32003, 2015, 2019R1, R1, R1
32–11991, 1995, 2015R1, R1, R1
33–01987, 2003, 2011R1, R1, R1
30–31987, 2003, 2007R1, R1, R1
33–01991, 1995, 1999R1, R1, R1
33–01995, 2003, 2007R1, R1, R1
33–01999, 2007, 2019R1, R1, R1
31–21987, 2003, 2015QF, QF, R1
33–01987, 1991, 2015R1, R1, R1
32–0
1987, 1995, 2003R1, R1, R1
32–11995, 2011, 2019R1, R1, R1
32–11991, 1995, 2019R1, R1, R1
33–01999, 2003, 2015R1, R1, R1
31–21987, 1995, 2011R1, R1, QF
32–11999, 2015, 2019R1, R1, R1
31–21987, 2003, 2015R1, R1, R1
30–31995, 1999, 2007R1, R1, R1
30–31987, 2007, 2011R1, R1, R1
32–11991, 1999, 2011R1, R1, R1
33–02011, 2015, 2019R1, QF, SF
21–11987, 1995R1, R1
22–02003, 2011R1, R1
22–02007, 2011QF, R1
20–22007, 2015SF, 3rd
22–02015, 2019R1, R1
20–21991, 1999R1, R1
21–11987, 1999SF, F
22–01995, 2007R1, R1
22–01987, 2007R1, R1
22–02003, 2015QF, QF
22–02015, 2019R1, R1
20–21987, 2015R1, R1
20–0
2007, 2011R1, R1
21–0
1999, 2019R1, R1
20–21995, 2019R1, R1
22–01999, 2015R2, R1
22–02003, 2011R1, R1
22–01991, 2011SF, R1
22–02003, 2015R1, R1
22–02003, 2007R1, R1
22–01999, 2011R1, R1
20–22007, 2011QF, R1
21–12015, 2019R1, R1
22–02003, 2011R1, R1
22–01999, 2007R1, R1
22–02003, 2019R1, R1
21–12011, 2019SF, QF
22–02007, 2015R1, R1
21–12003, 2019R1, R1
22–02011, 2015R1, R1
22–02003, 2007R1, R1
20–21995, 2019R1, QF
22–02011, 2019R1, R1
21–11991, 2019R1, R1
22–01999, 2011R1, R1
22–02007, 2015R1, R1
21–11999, 2003R1, R1
22–01991, 2011R1, R1
20–21995, 2011R1, R1
21–12015, 2019R1, QF
20–22015, 2019R1, R1
20–22011, 2019R1, R1
22–02007, 2015R1, R1
20–21999, 2015R1, R1
22–02003, 2015R1, R1
22–01987, 1991R1, R1
22–02007, 2015R1, R1
22–01999, 2003R1, R1
22–02007, 2019R1, R1
20–21987, 2003R1, R1
20–22015, 2019R1, R1
10–11987R1
11–01999R1
11–02019R1
11–02019R1
11–02011R1
11–02003R1
11–02011R1
11–01991R1
11–01987R1
11–02011R1
11–02019R1
10–11987R1
10–11987R1
10–11991R1
10–12011R1
10–12003R1
11–02003R1
11–02007R1
11–02015R1
11–01995R1
10–11995SF
11–01987R1
10–12007R1
11–02011R1
10–12015R1
10–12003R1
10–12011R1
10–12003R1
11–02015R1
10–12019R1
11–02019R1
11–01987R1
11–01991R1
11–02019R1
11–02007R1
11–02011R1
10–11995R1
10–12007R1
10–12019R1
10–12003R1
10–11995R1
10–11995R1
11–02019R1
10–12011R1
11–01991R1
10–12003R1
10–12011R1
10–12015R1
10–12011R1
11–02007R1
11–02007R1
11–01991R1
10–12007R1
10–12007R1
10–11995R1
11–01999R1
11–01987R1
10–12019R1
10–12019R1
10–12011R1
10–12007R1
11–02003R1
11–01999R1
11–01995R1
11–01999R1
11–01999R1
11–02007R1
10–11999R1

Tier 1 Nations Head-to-Head at World Cup

The table below shows the current dominance in the Head-to-Head meetings of tier 1 nations at the Rugby World Cup from the first tournament in 1987 to the latest tournament in 2019. Currently, New Zealand has the best record amongst the other tier 1 nations, achieving more wins and culminating in a superior Head-to-Head record over eight other tier 1 nations, and equal with one other. Italy is at the bottom of the table, and has an inferior Head-to-Head record with eight other tier 1 nations, and parity with one other nation. There are three tier 1 Head-to-Head meetings that have never been played at a Rugby World Cup: England versus Ireland, Ireland versus South Africa, and Scotland versus Wales.

Trivia