History of the Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is the premier international rugby union competition in the world. The event is organized by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), and is contested by the men's national rugby union teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is now contested every four years.
The winners are awarded the Webb Ellis Cup, named after the Rugby School pupil credited with the game's invention. The tournament is one of the largest international national sporting competitions in the world. The title of world champions is currently held by England, who won the 2003 tournament held in Australia. The next Rugby World Cup will be hosted in France during September and October of 2007.
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Prior to the Rugby World Cup, there had been various competitions that were similar in nature. One of the largest and oldest international rugby union competitions is the Home Nations, first played in 1883 through to 1909 between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It became the Five Nations in 1910 when France joined, although they were excluded from 1931 to 1939 amid allegations of professionalism. Though the nations' tournament was a European affair, it was one of the few consistent international competitions. Rugby union was also played at the Summer Olympics, first appearing at the 1900 Paris games and subsequently at London in 1908, Antwerp in 1920, and Paris again in 1924. France won the first gold medal, then Australasia, with the last two being won by the United States. The International Olympic Committee however cancelled rugby union as an Olympic sport.
The idea of a Rugby World Cup had been suggested on numerous occasions as far back as the 1950s, though the IRFB made it clear that it did not want its member unions to get involved in anything like the Football World Cup. The idea resurfaced throughout the early 1960s, and was dismissed at a 1983 IRFB meeting. It is thought that the defining moment in the creation of such a tournament came when the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) each independently wrote to the IRFB seeking to conduct a World Cup tournament. In 1985 the IRFB approved the inaugural cup, which was to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand during May and June of 1987, though the proposition was met with much opposition, led by the British and Irish delegations. The decisive vote to approve the proposal came from the South African delegates, who voted in favor despite knowing that the international sports boycott on their country's apartheid regime would prevent their team from participating in the tournament.
The inaugural tournament was contested in Australia and New Zealand between 16 nations. The All Blacks (New Zealand) become first ever champions, defeating France 29 points to nine. The subsequent 1991 tournament was hosted by England, with matches also being played throughout the rest of Britain, Ireland and France. This tournament also saw the abolition of invitation qualification?with a qualifying tournament being introduced which involved 35 nations. Australia won the second tournament, defeating England, 12 points to six. The 1995 tournament was hosted by South Africa?the nation that originally tipped the vote that saw the first event take place. The tournament was the first that South Africa would actually play in, following the end of the international sports boycott. The tournament had a fairytale ending, as South Africa were crowned champions over the All Blacks, which concluded with then President Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok jersey and matching baseball cap, presenting the trophy to the South Africa's captain Francois Pienaar. The moment is seen as one of the most emotional in the sport's history.
Celebrations at Trafalgar Square during a parade after England defeated Australia in the 2003 final. The tournament in 1999 was hosted by Wales with matches also being held throughout the rest of the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. The tournament included a repechage system, alongside specific regional qualifying places, and an increase of 16 to 20 participating nations. Australia claimed their second title, defeating France in the final. The 2003 event was hosted by Australia, though it was originally intended to be held jointly with New Zealand, though disagreements between the IRB and the NZRFU, over sponsorship, advertising and ticketing, saw the competition given in its entirety to Australia. England emerged as champions defeating Australia in extra time. England's win was unique in that it broke the Southern hemisphere's domination of the event. Such was the celebration of England's victory, that an estimated 750,000 people gathered in central London to greet the team, making the day the largest sporting celebration of its kind ever in the United Kingdom. The 2007 competition will be held in France, with matches also being held in Wales and Scotland. The 2011 tournament was awarded to New Zealand in November 2005, ahead of bids from Japan and South Africa.
The Webb Ellis Cup is the prize presented to winners of the Rugby World Cup, named after William Webb Ellis, who is credited with creating the game of rugby football. The trophy is also referred to as just, The Rugby World Cup. The trophy was chosen in 1987 as an appropriate cup for use in the competition. The words 'International Rugby Board' and 'The Webb Ellis Cup' are engraved on the face of the cup. It stands at 38 centimetres and is silver gilded in gold, and supported by two cast scroll handles, one handle has a head of a satyr, and the other has a head of a nymph. The colloquial name of the trophy in Australia is "Bill", a reference to William Webb Ellis. The trophy is currently kept in the Museum of Rugby, London.
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