Wales at the Rugby World Cup

The Wales national rugby union team have played in all nine Rugby World Cup tournaments.

Map of nations best results, excluding nations which unsuccessfully participated in qualifying tournaments.

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 2221.[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] At the 2011 World Cup, Wales reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1987. Playing the semi-finals against France, Wales lost 9–8, in a game overshadowed by the 18th-minute sending off of Wales' captain Sam Warburton for a dangerous tackle against Vincent Clerc.[6] At the 2015 World Cup Wales were in the same pool as Australia, England, Fiji and Uruguay. They finished second in the pool behind Australia and ahead of hosts England. South Africa defeated Wales in the quarter final. In the 2019 World Cup Wales were in pool D with Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Uruguay. They won all their group matches to finish top of the pool. After defeating France in the quarter final they lost to the eventual tournament winners South Africa in the semi-final.

By position

Rugby World Cup Qualification
Year Round Pld W D L PF PA Squad Pos Pld W D L PF PA
1987 Third place 6 5 0 1 126 104 Squad Invited
1991 Pool stage 3 1 0 2 32 61 Squad Automatically qualified
1995 Pool stage 3 1 0 2 89 68 Squad 1st 4 4 0 0 156 11
1999 Quarter-finals 4 2 0 2 127 95 Squad Automatically qualified
2003 Quarter-finals 5 3 0 2 149 126 Squad Automatically qualified
2007 Pool stage 4 2 0 2 168 105 Squad Automatically qualified
2011 Fourth place 7 4 0 3 228 74 Squad Automatically qualified
2015 Quarter-finals 5 3 0 2 130 85 Squad Automatically qualified
2019 Fourth place 7 5 0 2 189 147 Squad Automatically qualified
2023 Automatically qualified
Total Third place 44 26 0 18 1238 865 4 4 0 0 156 11
  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place Home venue

Team ranking

Pos. Team Champion Runner-up Third Fourth
1st  New Zealand 3 (1987, 2011, 2015) 1 (1995) 3 (1991, 2003, 2019) 1 (1999)
2nd  South Africa 3 (1995, 2007, 2019) - 2 (1999, 2015) -
3rd  Australia 2 (1991, 1999) 2 (2003, 2015) 1 (2011) 1 (1987)
4th  England 1 (2003) 3 (1991, 2007, 2019) - 1 (1995)
5th  France - 3 (1987, 1999, 2011) 1 (1995) 2 (2003, 2007)
6th  Wales - - 1 (1987) 2 (2011, 2019)
7th  Argentina - - 1 (2007) 1 (2015)
8th  Scotland - - - 1 (1991)

By matches

1987 New Zealand & Australia

Group matches

25 May 1987
Ireland 6 13  Wales
Pen: Kiernan (2) Try: Ring
Pen: Thorburn
Drop: Davies (2)
29 May 1987
Tonga  16 29  Wales
Tries: Fielea
Fifita
Con: Liavaʻa
Pen: Liavaʻa
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)
Team
P W D L PF PA Tries Pts
 Wales 33008231136
 Ireland 32018441114
 Canada 3102659072
 Tonga 3003299830
Quarter final

8 June 1987
England  3 16  Wales
Pen: Webb Tries: Roberts
Jones
Devereux
Con: Thorburn (2)
Ballymore, Brisbane
Referee: Rene Hourquet
Semi final

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
Ballymore, Brisbane
Attendance: 22,576
Referee: Kerry Fitzgerald
Third-place play-off

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 UK, Ireland & France

Group matches

6 October 1991
Wales  13 16  Western Samoa
Tries: Emyr, Evans
Con: Ring
Pen: Ring
Tries: Vaega, Vaifale
Con: Vaea
Pen: Vaea (2)
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Referee: Patrick Robin
9 October 1991
Wales  16 7  Argentina
Tries: Arnold
Pen: Ring (3), Rayer
Tries: García Simón
Pen: Del Castillo
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Referee: Rene Hourquet
12 October 1991
Wales  3 38  Australia
Pen: Ring Tries: Roebuck (2), Slattery, Campese, Horan, Lynagh
Con: Lynagh (4)
Pen: Lynagh (2)
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Referee: Keith Lawrence
Team
P W D L PF PA Pts
 Australia 330079256
 Western Samoa 320154344
 Wales 310232612
 Argentina 300338830

1995 South Africa

Group matches

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)
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Attendance: 12 000
Referee: Efrahim Sklar
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
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Attendance: 38 000
Referee: Ed Morrison
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
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Attendance: 35 000
Referee: Ian Rogers
Team
P W D L PF PA Pts
 New Zealand 3300222459
 Ireland 320193947
 Wales 310289685
 Japan 3003552523

1999 Wales

Group matches

1 October 1999
Wales  23 18  Argentina
Tries: Colin Charvis, Mark Taylor
Con: Neil Jenkins (2)
Pen: Neil Jenkins (3)
Pen: Gonzalo Quesada (6)
Team
P W D L PF PA Pts
 Wales 3201118717
 Samoa 320197727
 Argentina 320183517
 Japan 3003361403
Quarter-final

23 October 1999
Wales  9 24  Australia
Pens: Neil Jenkins (3) Tries: George Gregan (2), Ben Tune
Con: Matthew Burke (3)
Pen: Matthew Burke
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 74,499
Referee: Colin Hawke

2003 Australia

Group matches

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
Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Attendance: 24,874
Referee: Chris White
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
Canberra Stadium
Attendance: 19,806
Referee: Paul Honiss
25 October 2003
Italy  15 27  Wales
Pen: Wakarua (5) Tries: M. Jones, Parker, D. Jones
Con: Harris (3)
Pen: Harris (3)
Canberra Stadium
Attendance: 22,641
Referee: Andrew Cole
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)
Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 80,012
Referee: André Watson


Team
Pld W D L PF PA BP Pts
 New Zealand 440028257420
 Wales 430113298214
 Italy 42027712308
 Canada 41035413515
 Tonga 40044617811
Quarter final

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
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 45,252
Referee: Alain Rolland

2007 France

Group matches

9 September 2007
14:00
Wales  42–17  Canada
Try: Parker 52' c
A. W. Jones 58' c
S. Williams (2) 61' m, 63' c
Charvis 68' c
Con: S. Jones (4/5)
Pen: Hook (3/4) 10', 15', 21'
Report Tries: Cudmore 25' m
Culpan 36' c
Williams 45' m
Con: Pritchard (1/3)
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Attendance: 37,500
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
15 September 2007
14:00
Wales  20–32  Australia
Tries: J. Thomas 45' c
S. Williams 76' c
Con: Hook (2/2)
Pen: S. Jones (1/3) 7'
Hook (1/2) 54'
Report Tries: Giteau 16' c
Mortlock 35' m
Latham (2) 40+' c, 60' c
Con: Mortlock (2/2)
Giteau (1/2)
Pen: Mortlock (1/2) 2'
Drop: Barnes (1/1) 23'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 71,022
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
20 September 2007
21:00
Wales  72–18  Japan
Tries: A. W. Jones 11' c
Hook 24' c
R. Thomas 31' c
Morgan 40+' m
Phillips 42' c
S. Williams (2) 48' m, 80' m
D. James 52' c
Cooper 59' c
M. Williams (2) 64' c, 74' c
Con: S. Jones (5/7)
Sweeney (2/4)
Pen: S. Jones (1/1) 23'
Report Tries: Endo 19' m
Onozawa 57' c
Con: Robins (1/1)
Pen: Onishi (2/2) 4', 37'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 35,245
Referee: Joël Jutge (France)
29 September 2007
17:00
Wales  34–38  Fiji
Try: Popham 34' c
S. Williams 45' c
G. Thomas 48' m
M. Jones 51' c
M. Williams 73' m
Con: Hook (1/1)
S. Jones (2/4)
Pen: S. Jones (1/2) 5'
Report Tries: Qera 16' c
Delasau 19' m
Leawere 25' c
Dewes 77' c
Con: Little (3/4)
Pen: Little (4/5) 21', 24', 54', 60'
Team
Pld W D L TF PF PA +/ BP Pts
 Australia 44003021541+174420
 Fiji 43011411413622315
 Wales 420223168105+63412
 Japan 401376421014613
 Canada 40136511206902

2011 New Zealand

Group matches

11 September 2011
20:30
South Africa  17–16  Wales
Try: F. Steyn 3' c
Hougaard 65' c
Con: M. Steyn (2/2)
Pen: M. Steyn (1/1) 20'
Report Try: Faletau 54' c
Con: Hook (1/1)
Pen: Hook (3/5) 10', 32', 50'

18 September 2011
15:30
Wales  17–10  Samoa
Try: Sh. Williams 67' m
Pen: Hook (2/3) 12', 27'
Priestland (2/2) 43', 66'
Report Try: Perenise 40+' c
Con: Williams (1/1)
Pen: Williams (1/3) 21'
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance: 30,804
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

26 September 2011
19:30
Wales  81–7  Namibia
Try: Sc. Williams (3) 8' m, 47' c, 70' c
Brew 14' c
Faletau 18' c
Jenkins 50' c
North (2) 61' c, 66' c
J. Davies 62' c
L. Williams 75' m
Byrne 77' m
A.W. Jones 80+' c
Con: S. Jones (6/7)
Priestland (3/5)
Pen: S. Jones (1/1) 3'
Report Try: Koll 53' c
Con: Kotzé (1/1)
Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth
Attendance: 13,710
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

2 October 2011
18:00
Wales  66–0  Fiji
Try: Roberts (2) 6' c, 51' c
Sc. Williams 17' c
North 32' c
Warburton 39' c
Burns 59' c
Halfpenny 68' c
L. Williams 73' c
J. Davies 80+' c
Con: Priestland (5/5)
S. Jones (4/4)
Pen: Priestland (1/1) 21'
Report
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance: 28,476
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Team
Pld W D L TF PF PA +/ BP Pts
 South Africa 44002116624+142218
 Wales 43012318034+146315
 Samoa 420299149+42210
 Fiji 410375916710815
 Namibia 400454426622200
Quarter final

8 October 2011
18:00 NZDT (UTC+13)
Ireland  10–22  Wales
Try: Earls 45' c
Con: O'Gara (1/1)
Pen: O'Gara (1/1) 24'
Report Try: Williams 3' c
Phillips 51' m
J. Davies 64' c
Con: Priestland (2/3)
Pen: Halfpenny (1/1) 29'
Semi Final

15 October 2011
21:00 NZDT (UTC+13)
Wales  8–9  France
Try: Phillips 58' m
Pen: Hook (1/3) 8'
Report Pen: Parra (3/3) 22', 35', 51'
Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: 58,630
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Bronze Medal Match

21 October 2011
20:30 NZDT (UTC+13)
Wales  18–21  Australia
Try: Shane Williams 50' m
Halfpenny 80+' c
Con: S. Jones (1/1)
Pen: Hook (1/2) 20'
S. Jones (1/1) 71'
Report Try: Barnes 12' c
McCalman 76' m
Con: O'Connor (1/2)
Pen: O'Connor (2/4) 54', 58'
Drop: Barnes (1/1) 68'
Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: 53,014
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, where Wales play their home games

2015 England

Group matches

20 September 2015
14:30
Wales  54–9  Uruguay
Try: Lee 15' c
Allen (3) 19' c, 30' c, 40' c
Amos 50' c
Davies (2) 60' m, 80' c
Tipuric 71' c
Con: Priestland (7/8) 16', 19', 30', 40', 51', 72', 80'
Report Pen: Berchesi (3/4) 2', 9', 24'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 71,887
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
26 September 2015
20:00
England  25–28  Wales
Try: May 27' c
Con: Farrell (1/1) 29'
Pen: Farrell (5/5) 12', 24', 44', 52', 69'
Drop: Farrell 18'
Report Try: G. Davies 71' c
Con: Biggar (1/1) 72'
Pen: Biggar (7/7) 3', 16', 40', 48', 54', 59', 75'
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 81,129
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
1 October 2015
16:45
Wales  23–13  Fiji
Try: G. Davies 7' c
Baldwin 32' c
Con: Biggar (2/2) 8', 34'
Pen: Biggar (3/3) 21', 55', 69'
Report Try: Goneva 49' c
Con: Volavola (1/1) 50'
Pen: Volavola (2/2) 14', 38'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 71,576
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
10 October 2015
16:45
Australia  15–6  Wales
Pen: Foley (5/6) 25', 31', 37', 51', 73'
Report Pen: Biggar (2/3) 5', 34'
Team
Pld W D L TF PF PA +/ BP Pts
 Australia 44001714135+106117
 Wales 43011111162+49113
 England 42021613375+58311
 Fiji 41031084101–1715
 Uruguay 4004230226–19600
Quarter final

17 October 2015
16:00 BST (UTC+01)
South Africa  23–19  Wales
Try: Du Preez 75' m
Con: Pollard (0/1)
Pen: Pollard (5/7) 9', 13', 17', 21', 62'
Drop: Pollard 52'
Report[7] Try: G. Davies 18' c
Con: Biggar (1/1) 19'
Pen: Biggar (3/4) 15', 47', 64'
Drop: Biggar 40'
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 79,572
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

2019 Japan

Group matches

23 September 2019
19:15 JST (UTC+09)
(1 BP) Wales  43–14  Georgia
Try: J. Davies 3' m
Tipuric 13' c
Adams 19' c
L. Williams 40' c
T. Williams 65' c
North 76' c
Con: Biggar (4/5) 14', 20', 40', 66'
Halfpenny (1/1) 77'
Pen: Biggar (1/1) 7'
Report Try: Mamukashvili 43' c
Chilachava 69' c
Con: Abzhandadze (2/2) 44', 70'
City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Attendance: 35,546
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)


29 September 2019
16:45 JST (UTC+09)
(1 BP) Australia  25–29  Wales
Try: Ashley-Cooper 21' m
Haylett-Petty 46' c
Hooper 62' c
Con: To'omua (2/2) 48', 63'
Pen: Foley (1/1) 29'
To'omua (1/1) 68'
Report Try: Parkes 13' c
G. Davies 38' c
Con: Biggar (1/1) 14'
Patchell (1/1) 39'
Pen: Patchell (3/3) 33', 37', 72'
Drop: Biggar (1/2) 1'
Patchell (1/1) 44'
Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
Attendance: 47,885
Referee: Romain Poite (France)


9 October 2019
18:45 JST (UTC+09)
(1 BP) Wales  29-17  Fiji
Try: Adams (3) 18' c 31' c 61' m
L. Williams 69' m
Con: Biggar (2/2) 20' 32'
Pen: Patchell (1/1) 58'
Report Try: Tuisova 4' m
Murimurivalu 9' m
Penalty try 54'
Oita Stadium, Ōita
Attendance: 33,379
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)


13 October 2019
17:15 JST (UTC+09)
(1 BP) Wales  35-13  Uruguay
Try: Smith 17' c
Adams 49' c
Penalty try 66'
T Williams 74' c
G Davies 85' c
Con: Halfpenny (4/4) 18' 50' 75' 86'
Report Try: Kessler 71' c
Con: Berchesi 72'
Pen: Berchesi (2/2) 22' 39'
Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto
Attendance: 27,317
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Team
Pld W D L TF PF PA +/ BP Pts
 Wales 44001713669+67319
 Australia 43012013668+68416
 Fiji 410317110108+237
 Georgia 4103965122−5715
 Uruguay 4103660140−8004
Quarter-final

20 October 2019
16:15 JST (UTC+09)
Wales  20-19  France
Try: Wainwright 12' c
Moriarty 74' c
Con: Biggar (2/2) 13' 75'
Pen: Biggar (2/2) 20' 54'
Report Try: Vahaamahina 5' m
Ollivon 8' c
Vakatawa 31' c
Con: Ntamack (2/3) 9' 32'
Ōita Stadium, Ōita
Attendance: 34,426
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Semi final

27 October 2019
18:00 JST (UTC+09)
Wales  16–19  South Africa
Try: Adams 65' c
Con: Halfpenny (1/1) 66'
Pen: Biggar (3/3) 18', 39', 46'
Report Try: de Allende 57' c
Con: Pollard (1/1) 58'
Pen: Pollard (4/4) 15', 20', 35', 76'

Bronze final
1 November 2019
18:00 JST (UTC+09)
New Zealand  40–17  Wales
Try: Moody 5' c
B. Barrett 13' c
B. Smith (2) 33' c, 40+1' c
Crotty 42' c
Mo'unga 76' m
Con: Mo'unga (5/6) 7', 14', 34', 40+2', 44'
Report Try: Amos 19' c
Adams 59' c
Con: Patchell (1/1) 21'
Biggar (1/1) 61'
Pen: Patchell (1/1) 27'
Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
Attendance: 48,842
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Overall record

Against Played Won Drawn Lost For Against % Won
 Argentina
2
2
0
0
39
25
100
 Australia
7
2
0
5
107
176
28.57
 Canada
3
3
0
0
123
36
100
 England
3
2
0
1
61
56
66.67
 Fiji
4
3
0
1
152
68
75
 France
2
1
0
1
28
28
50
 Georgia
1
1
0
0
43
14
100
 Ireland
3
2
0
1
58
40
66.67
 Italy
1
1
0
0
27
15
100
 Japan
3
3
0
0
193
43
100
 Namibia
1
1
0
0
81
7
100
 New Zealand
4
0
0
4
69
176
 Samoa
3
1
0
2
61
64
33.33
 South Africa
3
0
0
3
35
40
 Tonga
2
2
0
0
56
36
100
 Uruguay
2
2
0
0
89
22
100
Total44260181238865
59.09

Hosting

The Rugby World Cup is held every four years, and up to and including 2015, alternated between traditional rugby heartlands in the southern hemisphere and those in Europe. Wales hosted the tournament in 1999, with Cardiff's Millennium Stadium built to coincide with the event. However, it is common for Rugby World Cups to have matches played outside their official host country, and all four tournaments hosted in Europe have used Wales to some degree as a World Cup venue. After the 2015 event, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and its predecessor will have hosted a total 21 matches over a total of four world cups. This is the largest number of world cup games hosted by one venue.

1991 Rugby World Cup

England was billed as the main host of the second tournament in 1991, hosting the opening ceremony, and final, though the hosting duties were shared between all countries which competed in the Five Nations Championship. France hosted eight games, England and Wales each hosted seven, and Scotland and Ireland five. The National Stadium in Cardiff hosted the third place playoff, whilst all of Pool C's matches were played in Wales. Wales were scheduled to feature in this pool, and all three of their pool matches were hosted in the National Stadium. One game each was played at the club grounds of Pontypridd, Pontypool and Llanelli.

The following Welsh stadiums were used:

City Stadium Capacity
CardiffNational Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park53,000
LlanelliStradey Park10,800
PontypoolPontypool Park8,800
PontypriddSardis Road7,200

1999 Rugby World Cup

Wales was chosen by the International Rugby Board as the principal host for the 1999 event. The centrepiece venue of the tournament, hosting the opening ceremony and final was the Millennium Stadium, a new structure built on the site of the old National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park at a cost of £126 million from private investment. An agreement was reached with the unions of all four rivals in the Five Nations Championship (England, France, Ireland and Scotland), so that, like 1991, the majority of the matches would take place outside the official host nation. In a unique tournament format there were five pools in the opening round. Each of the five unions competed in a separate pool, and acted as host for all of the matches within that pool. All Pool A games were held in Scotland, Pool B games in England, Pool C games in France and Pool E games in Ireland.

Wales hosted Pool D, also featuring Argentina, Samoa and Japan. Four of the pool games were at the Millennium Stadium, with one match each at Stradey Park, Llanelli's rugby stadium, and at The Racecourse, Wrexham, which usually featured Association Football.

Of eleven knock-out games, the Millennium Stadium only hosted three; Australia's defeat of Wales in the quarter final stage, and the third place play-off and final. The other fixtures were played for at a variety of European venues.

The following Welsh stadiums were used:

City Stadium Capacity
CardiffMillennium Stadium74,500
WrexhamRacecourse Ground15,500
LlanelliStradey Park10,800

2007 Rugby World Cup

In a more public bidding process, France beat England to win the right to host the 2007 World Cup. The WRU supported the French bid, in accordance with an agreement between the nations over the 1999 cup.[8] As a result of that agreement, world cup rugby returned to the Millennium Stadium for three pool matches (including two featuring Wales), and a quarter-final.

Ironically, as France were unexpected runners-up to Argentina in their group, the hosts found themselves competing in this, the only knock-out match held outside of their borders. The game was one of the highlights of the tournament, notable for a large number of reasons, though largely for being New Zealand's earliest exit from a Rugby World Cup, after the New Zealand Herald ran the hubristic headline 'France pose absolutely no threat to All Blacks'.[9] The French squad's reply to the Haka, where the squad dressed in red, white and blue shirts, drew some attention, with a number of images of Sebastien Chabal's stony face appearing in the media the following day.[10] Several controversial decisions by referee Wayne Barnes,[11] provoked death threats from some fans.[12] Statistical analysis by New Zealand company Verusco showed the match's playing time, that is time the ball is in play, was the longest of any of the 1,500 games they had ever recorded.[13]

City Country Stadium Capacity Further reading
CardiffWalesMillennium Stadium73,350Overview

2015 Rugby World Cup

A giant promotional rugby ball was placed on Cardiff Castle as part of the 2015 Rugby World Cup

In 2009 England were awarded the rights to stage the 2015 tournament. Owing to the proximity of Cardiff, the RFU made it clear that they intended to use the Millennium Stadium as part of its bid,[14] despite initial reluctance from the IRB for multiple hosting nations.[15] The Millennium Stadium hosted eight games in the tournament, more than in any previous world cup. These include two quarter-finals. This made Cardiff the only venue hosting knock-out matches with the exception of England's national stadium, Twickenham, as well as the venue with the second highest number of games. As Wales and England have were drawn in the same group, Wales only have home advantage for two of their games, against Uruguay and Fiji.

Cardiff used the world cup to promote tourism in the city,[16] with estimates that the games will add over £300 million to the local economy.[17] A 'Fan Zone' has been created within the grounds of Cardiff Arms Park with a large screen, for enjoying match days.[18] Cardiff Council has commissioned an art installation to mark the tournament, grafting a rugby ball to the prominent Cardiff Castle, to make it appear the ball has smashed straight through the wall.[19] This is similar to a publicity stunt from the 2007 World Cup, where a rugby ball hung from the centre of the Eiffel Tower. No such other sculptures have been created in the other 2015 venue cities.

City Country Stadium Capacity Further reading
CardiffWalesMillennium Stadium73,350Overview

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)
  1. "1987 Rugby World Cup Results". worldcupweb.com. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  2. "Pool B". Rugby News. 38 (9). 2007. p. 38.
  3. "1999 Rugby World Cup Results". worldcupweb.com. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  4. "2003 Rugby World Cup Results". worldcupweb.com. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  5. "Thomas lifts lid on World Cup woe". iol.ie. 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  6. "Wales 8–9 France". BBC Sport. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  7. "'Pure genius' try from Fourie du Preez grabs late victory for Springboks over Wales". www.rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  8. "rugby.com.au | FRANCE WINS RIGHT TO HOST THE 2007 RUGBY WORLD CUP". September 3, 2006. Archived from the original on September 3, 2006.
  9. Gallagher, Brendan (September 21, 2011). "Rugby World Cup 2011: 'France pose absolutely no threat to All Blacks' - headline in New Zealand Herald in 2007" via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  10. staff, Telegraph (October 25, 2011). "Rugby World Cup 2011: five best responses to the haka" via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  11. Gower (2007)
  12. BBC News (2007)
  13. Lampp (2007)
  14. "England will host 2015 World Cup". July 28, 2009 via news.bbc.co.uk.
  15. , Doubt over Wales' 2015 Cup role
  16. "Rugby World Cup: Where to eat, drink and play in Cardiff". Independent.ie.
  17. "£316m World Cup boost to Cardiff". BBC News.
  18. Bolter, Abby (September 19, 2015). "Rugby World Cup 2015: What's the Fanzone at the Cardiff Arms Park actually like?". walesonline.
  19. "Rugby ball 'crashes' into castle". September 18, 2015 via www.bbc.co.uk.
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