Wales at the Rugby World Cup
The Wales national rugby union team have played all seven Rugby World Cup tournaments. Their best finishes were third placing in 1987, when they beat Australia in the bronze final, and fourth placing in 2011.
The 1987 tournament was Wales' most successful; they won all three pool matches and their quarter-final, before losing to the All Blacks in the semi-finals. They then faced Australia in the third place play-off match, which they won 22–21.[1] In the next two tournaments in 1991 and 1995, Wales failed to progress beyond the pool stage, winning just one match in each tournament.[2] Both the 1999 and 2003 tournaments were more successful, with Wales qualifying for the quarter-finals both times. Wales hosted the event in 1999 and topped their pool only to lose to eventual winners Australia in the quarter-finals.[3] In 2003, they finished second in their pool to the All Blacks and faced England in the quarter-finals, where they lost to the eventual champions, despite scoring more tries than their opponents.[4] In the 2007 World Cup, Wales again failed to progress from the pool stage. After a loss to Australia, and two wins against Japan and Canada, they lost by four points to Fiji, despite scoring more tries than their opponents.[5]
By position
Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | PF | PA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 (16) | Third place | 3rd | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 126 | 104 |
1991 (16) | Pool stage (11th) | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 61 |
1995 (16) | Pool stage (9th) | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 89 | 68 |
1999 (20) | Quarterfinals (6th) | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 127 | 95 |
2003 (20) | Quarterfinals (5th) | - | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 149 | 126 |
2007 (20) | Pool stage (9th) | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 168 | 105 |
2011 (20) | Fourth place | 4th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 228 | 74 |
2015 | ||||||||
2019 | ||||||||
Total | 32 | 18 | 0 | 14 | 919 | 633 |
*Italics means tournament is ongoing.
Team ranking
Pos. | Team | Champion | Runner-up | Third | Fourth |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | New Zealand | 2 (1987, 2011) | 1 (1995) | 2 (1991, 2003) | 1 (1999) |
2nd | Australia | 2 (1991, 1999) | 1 (2003) | 1 (2011) | 1 (1987) |
3rd | South Africa | 2 (1995, 2007) | - | 1 (1999) | - |
4th | England | 1 (2003) | 2 (1991, 2007) | - | 1 (1995) |
5th | France | - | 3 (1987, 1999, 2011) | 1 (1995) | 2 (2003, 2007) |
6th | Wales | - | - | 1 (1987) | 1 (2011) |
7th | Argentina | - | - | 1 (2007) | - |
8th | Scotland | - | - | - | 1 (1991) |
By matches
1987 Rugby World Cup
Pool 2 games -
Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wales | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 31 | 6 |
Ireland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 84 | 41 | 4 |
Canada | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 65 | 90 | 2 |
Tonga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 98 | 0 |
29 May 1987 |
Tonga | 16 – 29 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: Fielea Fifita Con: Liava'a Pen: Liava'a Amone |
Tries: Webbe (3) Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) Drop: Davies |
3 June 1987 |
Canada | 9 – 40 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Pen: Rees (3) | Tries: Evans (4) Devereux Bowen Hadley Phillips Con: Thorburn (4) |
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 | Third place | ||||||||
7 June - Concord Oval, Sydney | ||||||||||
Australia | 24 | |||||||||
Australia | 33 | Wales | 22 | |||||||
Ireland | 15 | Australia | 21 | |||||||
18 June - Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua | ||||||||||
14 June 1987 |
New Zealand | 49 – 6 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: Kirwan (2) Shelford (2) Drake Whetton Stanley Brooke-Cowden Con: Fox (7) Pen: Fox |
Try: Devereux Con: Thorburn |
18 June 1987 |
Australia | 21 – 22 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: Burke Grigg Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (2) Drop: Lynagh |
Tries: Roberts Moriarty Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) |
1991 Rugby World Cup
Pool C games -
Team Won Drawn Lost For Against Points Australia 3 0 0 79 25 9 Western Samoa 2 0 1 54 34 7 Wales 1 0 2 32 61 5 Argentina 0 0 3 38 83 3
6 October 1991 |
Wales | 13 – 16 | Western Samoa |
---|---|---|
Tries: Emyr, Evans Con: Ring Pen: Ring |
Tries: Vaega, Vaifale Con: Vaea Pen: Vaea (2) |
9 October 1991 |
Wales | 16 – 7 | Argentina |
---|---|---|
Tries: Arnold Pen: Ring (3), Rayer |
Tries: Simon Pen: Del Castillo |
12 October 1991 |
Wales | 3 – 38 | Australia |
---|---|---|
Pen: Ring | Tries: Roebuck (2), Slattery, Campese, Horan, Lynagh Con: Lynagh (4) Pen: Lynagh (2) |
1995 Rugby World Cup
Pool C games -
Team Won Drawn Lost For Against Points New Zealand 3 0 0 225 45 9 Ireland 2 0 1 93 94 7 Wales 1 0 2 89 68 5 Japan 0 0 3 55 252 3
27 May 1995 |
Japan | 10 – 57 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: Osamu Ota (2) | Tries: Gareth Thomas (3), Ieuan Evans (2), Andrew Moore, Hemi Taylor Con: Neil Jenkins (5) Pen: Neil Jenkins (4) |
31 May 1995 |
New Zealand | 34 – 9 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: Marc Ellis, Walter Little, Josh Kronfeld Con: Andrew Mehrtens (2) Pen: Andrew Mehrtens (4) Drop: Andrew Mehrtens |
Pen: Neil Jenkins (2) Drop: Neil Jenkins |
4 June 1995 |
Ireland | 24 – 23 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: Eddie Halvey, Nick Popplewell, Denis McBride Con: Eric Elwood (3) Pen: Eric Elwood |
Tries: Jonathan Humphreys, Hemi Taylor Con: Neil Jenkins (2) Pen: Neil Jenkins (2) Drop: Adrian Davies |
1999 Rugby World Cup
Pool 4 games -
Team Won Drawn Lost For Against Points Wales 2 0 1 118 71 4 Samoa 2 0 1 97 72 4 Argentina 2 0 1 83 51 4 Japan 0 0 3 36 140 0
1 October 1999 |
Wales | 23 – 18 | Argentina |
---|---|---|
Tries: Colin Charvis, Mark Taylor Con: Neil Jenkins (2) Pen: Neil Jenkins (3) |
Pen: Gonzalo Quesada (6) |
9 October 1999 |
Wales | 64 – 15 | Japan |
---|---|---|
Tries: Mark Taylor, (2) Robert Howley, Scott Gibbs, David Llewellyn, Gareth Thomas, Allan Bateman, Shane Howarth Con: Neil Jenkins (8) Con: Neil Jenkins |
Tries: Patiliai Tuidraki, Daisuke Ohata Con: Keiji Hirose Pen: Keiji Hirose |
14 October 1999 |
Wales | 31 – 38 | Samoa |
---|---|---|
Tries: Gareth Thomas, Penalty try (2) Con: Neil Jenkins (2) Pen: Neil Jenkins (4) |
Tries: Stephen Bachop (2), Filiga Falaniko, Patrick Lam, Silao Leaegailesolo Con: Silao Leaegailesolo Pen: Silao Leaegailesolo |
Quarter finals -
23 October 1999 |
Wales | 9 – 24 | Australia |
---|---|---|
Pens: Neil Jenkins (3) | Tries: George Gregan (2), Ben Tune Con: Matthew Burke (3) Pen: Matthew Burke |
2003 Rugby World Cup
Group D games -
Team | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | BP | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Zealand | 4 | 0 | 0 | 282 | 57 | 4 | 20 |
Wales | 3 | 0 | 1 | 132 | 98 | 2 | 14 |
Italy | 2 | 0 | 2 | 77 | 123 | 0 | 8 |
Canada | 1 | 0 | 3 | 54 | 135 | 1 | 5 |
Tonga | 0 | 0 | 4 | 46 | 178 | 1 | 1 |
12 October 2003 |
Wales | 41 – 10 | Canada |
---|---|---|
Tries: Parker, Cooper, M. Jones, Charvis, Thomas Con: Harris (5) Pen: Harris (2) |
Tries: Tkachuk Con: Pritchard Drop: Ross |
19 October 2003 |
Wales | 27 – 20 | Tonga |
---|---|---|
Tries: Cooper, M. Williams Con: S. Jones Pen: S. Jones (4) Drop: M. Williams |
Tries: Hola, Kivalu, Lavaka Con: Hola Pen: Hola |
25 October 2003 |
Italy | 15 – 27 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Pen: Wakarua (5) | Tries: M. Jones, Parker, D. Jones Con: Harris (3) Pen: Harris (3) |
2 November 2003 |
New Zealand | 53 – 37 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: Rokocoko (2), MacDonald, Williams, Howlett (2), Spencer, Mauger Con: MacDonald (5) Pen: MacDonald |
Tries: Taylor, Parker, Charvis, S. Williams Con: S. Jones (4) Pen: S. Jones (3) |
Quarter finals -
9 November 2003 |
England | 28 – 17 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Try: Greenwood 44' c Con: Wilkinson Pen: Wilkinson (6) Drop: Wilkinson 80+1' |
Tries: S. Jones 30' m Charvis 35' m M. Williams 71' c Con: Harris |
2007 Rugby World Cup
Pool B games -
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|
2011 Rugby World Cup
Pool D games -
Team | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | BP | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Africa | 4 | 0 | 0 | 282 | 57 | 4 | 20 |
Wales | 3 | 0 | 1 | 132 | 98 | 2 | 14 |
Samoa | 2 | 0 | 2 | 77 | 123 | 0 | 8 |
Fiji | 1 | 0 | 3 | 54 | 135 | 1 | 5 |
Namibia | 0 | 0 | 4 | 46 | 178 | 1 | 1 |
11 September 2011 |
South Africa | 17 – 16 | Wales |
---|---|---|
Tries: F. Steyn 3' , Hougaard 65' Con: M. Steyn (2) Pen: M. Steyn |
(Report) | Tries: Faletau 54' Con: Hook Pen: Hook (3) |
18 September 2011 |
Wales | 17 – 10 | Samoa |
---|---|---|
Tries: Williams 67' Con: S. Jones Pen: Hook (2) Priestland (2) |
(Report) | Tries: Perenise 42' Con: Williams Pen: Williams |
26 September 2011 |
Wales | 81 – 7 | Namibia |
---|---|---|
Tries: S. Williams (3) 7', 46', 70' Brew 14' Faletau 17' Jenkins 49' North (2) 60', 66' Davies 62' L. Williams 75' Byrne 77' A. Jones 80+' Con: S. Jones (6) Priestland (3) Pen: S. Jones |
(Report) | Tries: Koll 52' Con: Kotzé |
2 October 2011 |
Wales | 66 – 0 | Fiji |
---|---|---|
Tries: Roberts (2) 5', 50' S. Williams 16' North 32' Warburton 39' Burns 59' Halfpenny 68' Williams 72' Davies 80+' Con: Priestland (5) S. Jones (4) Pen: Priestland |
(Report) |
Quarter Final
Semi Final
Bronze Medal Match
Hosting
The Rugby World Cup is held every four years, and tends to alternate between the northern and southern hemispheres. Every northern hemisphere tournament so far has been held in Europe, and in general, Wales usually hosts some games when it is held there.
1991 Rugby World Cup
England was main host in 1991, but other countries hosted some matches. Pool C, which Wales was a part of, had all their games in Cardiff, with two taken to Pontypridd and one played in Llanelli.
The following Welsh stadiums were used (third place playoff locations emboldened):
City | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Cardiff | Cardiff Arms Park | 53,000 |
Llanelli | Stradey Park | 10,800 |
Pontypool | Pontypool Park | 8,800 |
Pontypridd | Sardis Road | 7,200 |
1999 Rugby World Cup
Wales was main host in 1999. Wales won the right to host the World Cup in 1999. The centrepiece venue for the tournament was the Millennium Stadium, built on the site of the old National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park at a cost of £126 million from private investment. Other venues in Wales were the Racecourse Ground and Stradey Park. An agreement was reached so that the other unions in the Five Nations Championship (England, France, Ireland and Scotland) also hosted matches.
The 1999 World Cup was hosted by Wales with some matches spread across Scotland, England, Ireland and France. The format of the pool games was similar to the 1991 World Cup in England. All Pool A games were held in Scotland, Pool B games in England, Pool C games in France and Pool D games were all held in Wales. Second round play-offs and the quarter-finals were held a variety of European venues, the semi-finals were held at Twickenham Stadium, London. The third place play-off and the final were held at the new Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The following Welsh stadiums were used:
Venues | ||
---|---|---|
City | Stadium | Capacity |
Cardiff | Millennium Stadium | 74,500 |
Wrexham | Racecourse Ground | 15,500 |
Llanelli | Stradey Park | 10,800 |
2007 Rugby World Cup
France was main host.
France won the right to host the 2007 World Cup in 2003, and it was subsequently announced that four matches would be held in Wales, at Cardiff's 74,500 seat Millennium Stadium (two Pool B games involving Wales,
City | Country | Stadium | Capacity | Further reading |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cardiff | Wales | Millennium Stadium | 73,350 | Overview |
2015 Rugby World Cup
The 2015 Rugby World Cup will be the eighth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial rugby union world championship. The tournament will be hosted by England from 4 September to 17 October 2015. In addition, Cardiff's 74,500-seater Millennium Stadium in Wales may also be used.[6]
References
- Davies, Gerald (2004) The History of the Rugby World Cup (Sanctuary Publishing Ltd, (ISBN 1860746020)
- Farr-Jones, Nick, (2003). Story of the Rugby World Cup, Australian Post Corporation, (ISBN 0-642-36811-2)
- ↑ "1987 Rugby World Cup Results". worldcupweb.com. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
- ↑ "Pool B". Rugby News 38 (9). 2007. p. 38.
- ↑ "1999 Rugby World Cup Results". worldcupweb.com. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
- ↑ "2003 Rugby World Cup Results". worldcupweb.com. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
- ↑ "Thomas lifts lid on World Cup woe". iol.ie. 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
- ↑ , Doubt over Wales' 2015 Cup role
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