Introduction
16 Unions (by invitation) take part in first Rugby World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. Sixteen teams gathered in Australia and New Zealand, but there were only three real contenders for the trophy.
The semifinal match between the European champions France and favorites Australia is often billed as the match of the tournament. France would defeat the men from Down Under, only to lose to New Zealand in the final 29-9 at Eden Park on June 20.
The gap between the established and the emerging nations was apparent, illustrating that rugby was still far from a global game and that the form of the British and Irish, with the exception of Scotland, was weak. Despite some initial apathy, the sixteen-nation tournament began to capture the public imagination as it progressed.
The competition gave the likes of Argentina, Fiji, Japan and Romania the chance to prove they were more than mere cannon fodder.
But it showed in stark focus the widening gulf between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres which would soon herald the end of the amateur game.
The USA National Women’s Team was founded in 1987.
RUGBY WORLD CUP RESULTS 1987 POOL A POOL B POOL C POOL D Australia 19 - 6 England Canada 37 - 4 Tonga New Zealand 70 - 6 Italy Romania 21 - 20 Zimbabwe USA 21 - 18 Japan Wales 13 - 6 Ireland Fiji 28 - 9 Argentina France 20 - 20 Scotland England 60 - 7 Japan Wales 29 - 16 Tonga New Zealand 74 - 13 Fiji France 55 - 12 Romania Australia 47 - 12 USA Ireland 46 - 19 Canada Argentina 25 - 16 Italy Scotland 60 - 21 Zimbabwe England 34 - 6 USA Wales 40 - 9 Canada Italy 18 - 15 Fiji Scotland 55 - 28 Romania Australia 42 - 12 Japan Ireland 32 - 9 Tonga New Zealand 46 - 15 Argentina France 70 - 12 Zimbabwe
POOL A P W D L F A PTS Australia 3 3 0 0 108 41 6 England 3 2 0 1 100 32 4 USA 3 1 0 2 39 99 2 Japan 3 0 0 3 48 123 0
POOL B P W D L F A PTS Wales 3 3 0 0 89 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
POOL C P W D L F A PTS New Zealand 3 3 0 0 190 34 6 Fiji 3 1 0 2 56 101 2 Argentina 3 1 0 2 49 90 2 Italy 3 1 0 3 40 110 2
POOL D P W D L F A PTS France 3 2 1 0 145 44 5 Scotland 3 2 1 0 135 69 5 Romania 3 1 0 2 61 130 2 Zimbabwe 3 0 0 3 53 151 0
1987 RWC John Kirwan's fantastic solo try vs. Italy
QUARTER-FINALS
SEMI-FINALS
3rd PLACE PLAY-OFF
FINAL New Zealand 30 - 3 Scotland
France 30 - 24 Australia Wales 22 - 21 Australia NEW ZEALAND 29 - 9 FRANCE France 31 - 16 Fiji Australia 33 - 15 Ireland
New Zealand 49 - 6 Wales Wales 16 - 13 England Semi-finals
Australia
Campese, Grigg, Slack (c), Papworth, Burke, Lynagh, Farr-Jones, Lillicrap, Lawton, McIntyre, Campbell, Cutler, Miller, Coker, Poidevin
Replacements : Herbert for Papworth, Codey for Campbell
Tries: Campese, Codey, Conversion: Lynagh (2), Penalty Goals: Lynagh (3), Dropped Goal: Lynagh
France
Blanco, Camberabero, Sella, Charvet, Lagisquet, Mesnel, Berbizier, Ondarts, Dubroca (c), Garuet, Lorieux, Condom, Champ, Rodriguez, Erbani
Tries: Lerieux, Sella, Laqisquet, Blanco Conversions: Camberabero (4), Penalty Goals: Camberabero (2)
New Zealand
Gallagher, Kirwan, Stanley, Taylor, Green, Fox, Kirk (c), Drake, Fitzpatrick, McDowell, Pierce, G Whetton, A Whetton, Shelford, Brooke-Cowden
Replacement : McCahill for Stanley
Tries: Shelford (2), Kirwan (2), Drake, A Whetton, Stanley, Brooke-Cowden, Conversions: Fox (7), Penalty Goal: Fox
Wales
Thoburn, Evans, Devereux, Bowen, Hadley, J Davies, Jones, Buchanan, K Phillips, Young, R Moriarty (c), Richards, P Moriarty, P Davies, Collins
Replacement : Sutton for Collins
Try: Devereux, Conversion: ThorburnThe final
NEW ZEALAND 29 (John Kirwan, David Kirk, Michael Jones tries; Grant Fox four penalty goals, conversion, field goal) bt. FRANCE 9 (Pierre Berbizier try; Didier Camberabero penalty goal, goal) at Eden Park, Auckland. Crowd: 46,000. Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia).
New Zealand: 1. John Drake, 2. Sean Fitzpatrick, 3. Steve McDowell, 4. Murray Pierce, 5. Gary Whetton, 6. Alan Whetton, 7. Michael Jones, 8. Buck Shelford, 9. David Kirk (c), 10. Grant Fox, 11. John Kirwan, 12. Joe Stanley, 13. Warwick Taylor, 14. Craig Green, 15. John Gallagher.
France: 1. Jean-Pierre Garuet-Lempirou, 2. Daniel Dubroca (c), 3. Pascal Ondarts, 4. Jean Condom, 5. Alain Lorieux, 6. Dominique Erbani, 7. Eric Champ, 8. Laurent Rodriguez, 9. Pierre Berbizier, 10. Franck Mesnel, 11. Patrice Lagisquet, 12. Denis Charvet, 13. Philippe Sella, 14. Didier Camberabero, 15. Serge Blanco.
