The 1995 tournament was seen as the dawning of a new era with post-apartheid South Africa welcomed back into the international sporting frame. The 1995 tournament was their chance to unite a nation and Springbok captain Francois Pienaar and manager Morne du Plessis worked hard to foster the feeling of the “rainbow nation”. Few moments…
The 1999 final was strangely reminiscent of the first, only this time France saw off New Zealand in a thrilling semi-final before being outplayed in the final by Australia. France were let down by their indiscipline in the final, allowing Wallabies full-back Matt Burke a number of kickable opportunities and he made no mistake. France…
England won the 2003 Rugby World Cup with a breathtaking Jonny Wilkinson drop goal just 26 seconds from the end of a thrilling final in Sydney. Millions watched around the world as captain Martin Johnson became the first player to lead a northern hemisphere side to the world title. Australia battled hard and were never…
A ruthless South Africa punished England’s ill-discipline for a tight 15-6 win over the defending champions at the Stade de France. Full-back Percy Montgomery kicked four penalties and 20-year-old centre Francois Steyn one to hand the Springboks their second World Cup triumph after their victory on home soil in 1995. Despite holding their own for…
New Zealand were crowned world champions for the first time in 24 years after squeezing past an inspired France team by a single point. Tony Woodcock’s early try and a penalty from fourth-choice fly-half Stephen Donald were enough to see the All Blacks home in an extraordinary match that defied all pre-match predictions. France produced…
Richie McCaw and New Zealand made history as the first nation to claim back-to-back World Cups but they had to do it the hard way against Australia in an epic final. The All Blacks raced into a 21-3 lead with tries from Nehe Milner-Skudder and Ma’a Nonu but they then had to hold off a…
Paraguay’s quest to reach the 2019 Rugby World Cup continues next month when the “Yakares” join Uruguay, Chile and Brazil in the 2017 Sudamerica Rugby A Championship, after beating Colombia in Asuncion last November to qualify for the next stage of the Americas qualification competition. With the Webb Ellis Cup on display and RWC 2015…
Kumamoto is home to some of Japan’s most exquisite scenery and national parks. In addition to natural beauty, Kumamoto has such renowned man-made attractions as the 400-year-old Kumamoto Castle, one of the largest in Japan. In the Japan rugby community, several top players have come from Kumamoto and Rugby World Cup 2019 represents a chance…
Oita and its venue are no strangers to major international sports events, having hosted matches for the 2002 Fifa World Cup and creating an internationally covered human interest story featuring the Cameroon national team and the village that hosted their camp. The strong bonds that developed between the village and Cameroon expanded to include the…
Widely known as a gourmet paradise, Fukuoka boasts a wide variety of local specialities. A Fukuoka speciality in a different area is rugby, with the city being the centre of the sport for Japan’s southernmost main island, Kyushu. Rugby in Kyushu got its start when a group of alumni from Keio University in Tokyo working…
