Contents
- 1 Rugby World Cup
- 2 Brief Introduction to the Rugby World Cup
- 3 How teams can qualify for a Rugby World Cup?
- 4 The Rugby World Cup Tournament Format
- 5 How the IRB selects the World Cup Hosts?
- 6 IRB Rugby World Cup Winners till now
- 7 Rugby World Cup 2019 Fixtures
Rugby World Cup
Started in: 1987
Number of teams allowed to participate: 20
Current Holders: New Zealand All Blacks
Most Number of Titles: New Zealand All Blacks (3 times)
Official Web Site: rugbyworldcup.com
Brief Introduction to the Rugby World Cup
All the 20 qualified for the Rugby World Cup plays for the William Webb Ellis Cup, which is named after a student William Webb Ellis, who as per popular mythology invented the game of Rugby by accident when he was playing Football. The first-ever World Cup Rugby tournament was held in 1987 which was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia two of the powerhouses of the game. The last Rugby World Cup was held in 2011 which was hosted by New Zealand. New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa have won the Rugby World Cup twice since its inception in 1987.
How teams can qualify for a Rugby World Cup?
There is a total of 20 places available as we have mentioned, out of which twelve teams qualify automatically as per their performances in the previous tournament. These 12 teams must have finished in top 3 positions in their respective groups. Remaining 8 places are filled by a region-based qualification system, where Europe and the Americas are allowed 2 places each and Oceania, Asia and Africa are allowed one place each. The remaining place will be filled up by a playoff.
The Rugby World Cup Tournament Format
- The Rugby World Cup will be played over three weeks.
- Two Stages – Group and Knock Out.
- Teams are seeded as per the IRB World Rankings.
- Four highest ranked teams from the rankings placed in four different pools A to D randomly.
- Then the next four ranked teams will be placed below them in the same manner described above.
- Each team plays four pool games with their co-members in the pool for ones.
- If two or more teams are level on points higher ranked team will qualify for the next round.
- The winner and the runner up from each group will qualify for the knockout round and play against other pool winners and runners up respectively.
- Top 8 teams then qualify for the quarter finals.
- Winners of the quarterfinals will play semis and then the winners of the semis will play for the Final.
- Two losing teams of the semi finals plays for the third place play off, which is called ‘Bronze Final’.
- If there is a tie in qualifying games, then extra time is awarded, if then also the result is not possible then sudden death will decide the result in which the first point scorer will be declared as a winner. Even then there is no result; a kicking competition will be officiated.
How the IRB selects the World Cup Hosts?
The selection of the hosts of a Rugby World Cup starts five to six years in advance. It is done by a secret voting by all the IRB World Cup members which is overlooked by a private auditing company. There can be a bid to host the Rugby World Cup jointly as well. The stadium in which the finals are supposed to be hosted must have a capacity of at least 60, 000 fans as per minimum requirement by IRB.
IRB Rugby World Cup Winners till now
- 1987 – Hosts: Australia and New Zealand
- Winners: New Zealand
- Runners Up: France
- 3rd place: Wales
- 4th place: Australia
- 1991 – Hosts: England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- Winners: Australia
- Runners Up: England
- 3rd place: New Zealand
- 4th place: Scotland
- 1995 – Host: South Africa
- Winners: South Africa
- Runners Up: New Zealand
- 3rd Place: France
- 4th Place: England
- 1999 – Host: Wales
- Winners: Australia
- Runners Up: France
- 3rd Place: South Africa
- 4th Place: New Zealand
- 2003 – Hosts: Australia
- Winners: England
- Runners Up: Australia
- 3rd place: New Zealand
- 4th place: France
- 2007 – Hosts: France
- Winners: South Africa
- Runners Up: England
- 3rd place: Argentina
- 4th place: France
- 2011 – Hosts: New Zealand
- Winners: New Zealand
- Runners Up: France
- 3rd place: Australia
- 4th place: Wales
- 2015 – Hosts: England
- Winners: New Zealand
- Runners Up: Australia
- 3rd place: South Africa
- 4th place: Argentina
- 2018 – Hosts: Japan
Rugby World Cup 2019 Fixtures
Pool A
Ireland
Scotland
Japan
Russia
Samoa
Japan v Russia
Date: 20 September 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium
Ireland v Scotland
Date: 22 September 2019
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
Russia v Samoa
Date: 24 September 2019
Venue: Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya
Japan v Ireland
Date: 28 September 2019
Venue: Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
Scotland v Samoa
Date: 30 September 2019
Venue: Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
Ireland v Russia
Date: 3 October 2019
Venue: Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
Japan v Samoa
Date: 5 October 2019
Venue: City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Scotland v Russia
Date: 9 October 2019
Venue: Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
Ireland v Samoa
Date:12 October 2019
Venue: Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka
Japan v Scotland
Date: 13 October 2019
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
Pool B
New Zealand
South Africa
Italy
Namibia
Canada
New Zealand v South Africa
Date: 21 September 2019
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
Italy v Namibia
Date: 22 September 2019
Venue: Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
Italy v Canada
Date: 26 September 2019
Venue: Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka
South Africa v Namibia
Date: 28 September 2019
Venue: City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
New Zealand v Canada
Date: 2 October 2019
Venue: Oita Stadium, Ōita
South Africa v Italy
Date: 4 October 2019
Venue: Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
New Zealand v Namibia
Date: 6 October 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
South Africa v Canada
Date: 8 October 2019
Venue: Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
New Zealand v Italy
Date: 12 October 2019
Venue: City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Namibia v Canada
Date: 13 October 2019
Venue: Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium, Kamaishi
Pool C
England
France
Argentina
United States
Tonga
France v Argentina
Date: 21 September 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
England v Tonga
Date: 22 September 2019
Venue: Sapporo Dome, Sapporo
England v United States
Date: 26 September 2019
Venue: Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
Argentina v Tonga
Date: 28 September 2019
Venue: Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
France v United States
Date: 2 October 2019
Venue: Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka
England v Argentina
Date: 5 October 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
France v Tonga
Date: 6 October 2019
Venue: Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto
Argentina v United States
Date: 9 October 2019
Venue: Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya
England v France
Date: 12 October 2019
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
United States v Tonga
Date: 13 October 2019
Venue: Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
Pool D
Australia
Wales
Georgia
Fiji
Uruguay
Australia v Fiji
Date: 21 September 2019
Venue: Sapporo Dome, Sapporo
Wales v Georgia
Date: 23 September 2019
Venue: City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Fiji v Uruguay
Date: 25 September 2019
Venue: Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium, Kamaishi
Georgia v Uruguay
Date: 29 September 2019
Venue: Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya
Australia v Wales
Date: 29 September 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
Georgia v Fiji
Date: 3 October 2019
Venue: Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiosaka
Australia v Uruguay
Date: 5 October 2019
Venue: Oita Stadium, Ōita
Wales v Fiji
Date: 9 October 2019
Venue: Oita Stadium, Ōita
Australia v Georgia
Date: 11 October 2019
Venue: Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
Wales v Uruguay
Date: 13 October 2019
Venue: Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto
Knockout Stages
QF1 Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
Date: 19 October 2019
Venue: Oita Stadium, Ōita
QF2 Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
Date: 19 October 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
QF3 Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
Date: 20 October 2019
Venue: Oita Stadium, Ōita
QF4 Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B
Date: 20 October 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
Semi-finals
Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
Date: 26 October 2019
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
Date: 27 October 2019
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
Third-place Play-off
Loser SF1 v Loser SF2
Date: 1 November 2019
Venue: Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
Rugby World Cup Final 2019
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
Date: 2 November 2019
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
