1999 Rugby World Cup

4th Rugby World Cup

1999 Rugby World CupWelsh: Cwpan Rygbi'r Byd 1999

Tournament details
Host nation|  Wales
Dates| 1 October – 6 November 1999
No. of nations| 20
Final positions
Champions |  Australia (2nd title)
Runner-up |  France
Third place |  South Africa
Tournament statistics
Matches played| 41
Attendance| 1,562,427 (38,108 per match)
Top scorer(s)|  Gonzalo Quesada (102)
Most tries|  Jonah Lomu (8)

<- 1995

2003 ->

The 1999 Rugby World Cup (Welsh: Cwpan Rygbi'r Byd 1999) was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship. It was the first Rugby World Cup to be held in the sport's professional era.[1]

Four automatic qualification places were available for the 1999 tournament; Wales qualified automatically as hosts, and the other three places went to the top three teams from the previous World Cup in 1995: champions South Africa, runners-up New Zealand and third-placed France. 63 nations took part in the qualification process, with 14 nations progressing directly to the tournament. the remaining two qualifiers were determined by a repechage, introduced for the first time in the tournaments history. This was also the first World Cup to feature 20 teams (expanded from 16).

The 20 teams were divided into five pools of four. The winner of each pool progressed to the last eight automatically, with the remaining quarter-finalists determined by three play-off matches, played between the runners-up from each pool and the best third-placed team. The tournament began with the opening ceremony in the newly constructed Millennium Stadium, with Wales beating Argentina 23–18, and Colin Charvis scoring the first try of the tournament. Australia won the tournament, becoming the first nation to do so twice and also to date the only team ever to win after having to qualify for the tournament, with a 35–12 triumph over France, who were unable to repeat their semi-final victory over pre-tournament favourites New Zealand.[2][3] The overall attendance for the tournament was 1.75 million.[4]

## Qualifying

[edit]

Main article: 1999 Rugby World Cup qualifying

The following 20 teams, shown by region, qualified for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Of the 20 teams, only four of those places were automatically allocated and did not have to play any qualification matches. These went to the champions, runners-up and the third-placed nations at the 1995 and the tournament host, Wales. A record 65 nations from five continents were therefore involved in the qualification process designed to fill the remaining 16 spots.

Africa  | Americas  | Europe  | Oceania/Asia

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* Namibia (Africa)
* South Africa

* Argentina (Americas 1)
* Canada (Americas 2)
* United States (Americas 3)
* Uruguay (Repechage 2)

* England (Europe 2)
* France
* Ireland (Europe 1)
* Italy (Europe 5)
* Romania (Europe 4)
* Scotland (Europe 3)
* Spain (Europe 6)
* Wales

* Australia (Oceania 1)
* Fiji (Oceania 2)
* New Zealand
* Samoa (Oceania 3)
* Tonga (Repechage 1)
* Japan (Asia)

## Venues

[edit]

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 Lottery money and 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.

Venues in England included Twickenham Stadium and Welford Road Stadium, rugby union venues, as well as Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol, which normally hosts football, and the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield, which normally hosts football and rugby league. Scottish venues included Murrayfield Stadium, the home of the Scottish Rugby Union; Hampden Park, the home of the Scottish Football Association; and the smallest venue in the 1999 tournament, Netherdale, in Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders. Venues in Ireland included Lansdowne Road, the traditional home of the Irish Rugby Football Union; Ravenhill Stadium; and Thomond Park. France used five venues, the most of any nation, including the French national stadium, Stade de France, which hosted the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and would later go on to host the finals of both the 2007 and 2023 editions of the tournament.

Cardiff |  Wrexham |  Llanelli |  Saint-Denis

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Millennium Stadium | Racecourse Ground | Stradey Park | Stade de France
Capacity: 74,500 | Capacity: 15,500 | Capacity: 10,800 | Capacity: 80,000
|  |  |
London |  Edinburgh |  Glasgow |  Dublin
Twickenham Stadium | Murrayfield Stadium | Hampden Park | Lansdowne Road
Capacity: 75,000 | Capacity: 67,500 | Capacity: 52,500 | Capacity: 49,250
|  |  |
Lens |  Bordeaux |  Toulouse |  Huddersfield
Stade Félix Bollaert | Parc Lescure | Stadium de Toulouse | McAlpine Stadium
Capacity: 41,800 | Capacity: 38,327 | Capacity: 37,000 | Capacity: 24,500
|  |  |
Bristol |  Béziers |  Leicester |  Limerick
Ashton Gate Stadium | Stade de la Méditerranée | Welford Road Stadium | Thomond Park
Capacity: 21,500 | Capacity: 18,000 | Capacity: 16,500 | Capacity: 13,500
|  |  |
Belfast |  Galashiels
Ravenhill | Netherdale
Capacity: 12,500 | Capacity: 6,000

## Pools and format

[edit]

Pool A  | Pool B  | Pool C  | Pool D  | Pool E

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South Africa
Scotland
Spain
Uruguay

New Zealand
England
Italy
Tonga

France
Fiji
Canada
Namibia

Wales
Argentina
Samoa
Japan

Australia
Ireland
United States
Romania

With the expansion of the Rugby World Cup from 16 to 20 teams an unusual and complex format was used with the teams split into five pools of four teams with each team playing each other in their pool once.

* Pool A was played in Scotland
* Pool B was played in England
* Pool C was played in France
* Pool D was played in the principal host nation Wales
* Pool E was played in Ireland

Points system

The points system that was used in the pool stage was unchanged from both 1991 and 1995:

* 3 points for a win
* 2 points for a draw
* 1 point for playing

The five pool winners qualified automatically to the quarter-finals. The five pool runners-up and the best third-placed side qualified for the quarter-final play-offs.

Knock-out stage

The five pool runners-up and the best third-placed team from the pool stage (which was Argentina) contested the quarter-final play-offs in three one-off matches that decided the remaining three places in the quarter-finals, with the losers being eliminated. The unusual format meant that two pool winners in the quarter-finals would have to play each other. From the quarter-final stage it became a simple knockout tournament. The semi-final losers played off for third place. The draw and format for the knock-out stage was set as follows.

Quarter-final play-offs draw

* Match H: Pool B runner-up v Pool C runner-up
* Match G: Pool A runner-up v Pool D runner-up
* Match F: Pool E runner-up v Best third-placed team

Quarter-finals draw

* Match M: Pool D winners v Pool E winners
* Match J: Pool A winners v Play-off H winners
* Match L: Pool C winners v Play-off F winners
* Match K: Pool B winners v Play-off G winners

Semi-finals draw

* Match J winners v Match M winners
* Match L winners v Match K winners

A total of 41 matches (30 pool stage and 11 knock-out) were played throughout the tournament over 35 days from 1 October 1999 to 6 November 1999.

## Squads

[edit]

Main article: 1999 Rugby World Cup squads

## Referees

[edit]

* Andrew Cole
* Stuart Dickinson
* Wayne Erickson
* Peter Marshall
* Brian Campsall
* Ed Morrison
* Chris White
* Joël Dumé

* David McHugh
* Colin Hawke
* Paul Honiss
* Paddy O'Brien
* André Watson
* Jim Fleming
* Derek Bevan
* Clayton Thomas

|

## Pool stage

[edit]

The tournament began on 1 October 1999 in the newly built Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, with Wales beating Argentina in a hard-fought game 23–18 to get their campaign off to a positive start. The Pool stage of the tournament played out as was widely expected with the Tri Nations teams of New Zealand (who inflected a massive 101–3 win against Italy at the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield), South Africa and Australia all winning their pools easily without losing a single game. For the then Five Nations Championship teams who all played their pool matches in their own countries it was a case of mixed fortunes with France winning their pool without losing a game. Host Wales also won their pool, though they suffered 31–38 defeat at the hands of Samoa in front of a home crowd at the Millennium Stadium. However, as expected England, Ireland and Scotland all finished second in their pools and were forced to try to qualify for the quarter-finals via the play-offs alongside fellow runners-up Samoa and Fiji, and Argentina as the best third placed side from all five pools, having been the only third-placed side to win two matches (against Samoa and Japan). Indeed, Argentina had finished level with Wales and Samoa on 7 points each in the group stages, and could only be separated by "total points scored": playing and winning their final match against Japan, they had the chance to overtake either of Samoa or Wales, but were 14 points short of overtaking Samoa's total score and a further 18 points short of Wales.

Qualified for quarter-finals

Qualified for quarter-final play-offs

### Pool A

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | PF  | PA  | Pts

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South Africa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 35 | 9
Scotland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 120 | 58 | 7
Uruguay | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 97 | 5
Spain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 122 | 3

2 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

Spain | 15–27|  Uruguay

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Pen: Kovalenco (5) 7', 40', 48', 50', 68'| Report| Try: Ormaechea 23' c
Penalty try 64' c
Cardoso 77' m
Menchaca 80' m
Con: Aguirre
Sciarra
Pen: Aguirre 15'
Netherdale, Galashiels
Attendance: 3,761
Referee: Chris White (England)

* * *

3 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

Scotland | 29–46|  South Africa

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Try: M. Leslie
Tait
Con: Logan (2)
Pen: Logan (4)
Drop: Townsend| | Try: Le Roux
Kayser
Van der Westhuizen
Fleck
A. Venter
B. Venter
Con: De Beer (5)
Pen: De Beer (2)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 57,612
Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)

* * *

8 October 1999
16:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

Scotland | 43–12|  Uruguay

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Try: Russell
Armstrong
Metcalfe
M. Leslie
Simpson
Townsend
Con: Logan (5)
Pen: Logan| | Pen: Aguirre (3)
Sciarra
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 9,463
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

* * *

10 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

South Africa | 47–3|  Spain

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Try: Vos (2)
Leonard
Penalty try
Muller
Skinstad
Swanepoel
Con: De Beer (6)| | Pen: Velazco Querol
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 4,769
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

* * *

15 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

South Africa | 39–3|  Uruguay

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Try: Van den Berg (2)
Van der Westhuizen
Kayser
Fleck
Con: De Beer (4)
Pen: De Beer (2)| | Pen: Aguirre
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

* * *

16 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

Scotland | 48–0|  Spain

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Try: Mather (2)
McLaren
Longstaff
Hodge
C. Murray
Penalty try
Con: Hodge (5)
Pen: Hodge| |
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 17,593
Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

### Pool B

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | PF  | PA  | Pts

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New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 28 | 9
England | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 184 | 47 | 7
Tonga | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 171 | 5
Italy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 35 | 196 | 3

2 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

England | 67–7|  Italy

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Try: Wilkinson
Hill
Luger
Back
De Glanville
Corry
Dawson
Perry
Con: Wilkinson (6)
Pen: Wilkinson (5)| | Try: Dominguez
Con: Dominguez
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,470
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

* * *

3 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

New Zealand | 45–9|  Tonga

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Try: Lomu (2)
Kelleher
Maxwell
Kronfeld
Con: Mehrtens (4)
Pen: Mehrtens (4)| | Pen: Taumalolo (3)
Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

* * *

9 October 1999
16:30 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

England | 16–30|  New Zealand

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Try: De Glanville
Con: Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson (3)| | Try: Kelleher
Wilson
Lomu
Con: Mehrtens (3)
Pen: Mehrtens (3)
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,000
Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

* * *

10 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

Italy | 25–28|  Tonga

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Try: Moscardi
Con: Dominguez
Pen: Dominguez (6)| | Try: Taufahema
Fatani
Tuipulotu
Con: Tuipulotu (2)
Pen: Tuipulotu (2)
Drop: Tuipulotu
Welford Road Stadium, Leicester
Attendance: 10,244
Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

* * *

14 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

New Zealand | 101–3|  Italy

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Try: Wilson (3)
Osborne (2)
Lomu (2)
Randell
Brown
Cullen
Hammett
Gibson
Robertson
Mika
Con: Brown (11)
Pen: Brown (3)| | Pen: Dominguez
McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield
Attendance: 24,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

* * *

15 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)

England | 101–10|  Tonga

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Try: Guscott (2)
Greening (2)
Luger (2)
Healey (2)
Greenwood (2)
Dawson
Perry
Hill
Con: Grayson (12)
Pen: Grayson (4)| | Try: Tiueti
Con: Tuipulotu
Pen: Tuipulotu
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,485
Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

### Pool C

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | PF  | PA  | Pts

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France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 52 | 9
Fiji | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 124 | 68 | 7
Canada | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 114 | 82 | 5
Namibia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 186 | 3

1 October 1999
21:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

Fiji | 67–18|  Namibia

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Try: Lasagavibau (2)
S. Tawake
Rauluni
Satala
Mocelutu
Smith
Tiko
Katalau
Con: Serevi (8)
Pen: Serevi (2)| | Try: Jacobs
Senekal
Con: Van Dyk
Pen: Van Dyk (2)
Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

* * *

2 October 1999
14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

France | 33–20|  Canada

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Try: Ntamack
Glas
Castaignède
Magne
Con: Dourthe (2)
Pen: Dourthe (3)| | Try: Williams (2)
Con: Ross
Rees
Pen: Ross
Rees
Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Brian Campsall (England)

* * *

8 October 1999
21:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

France | 47–13|  Namibia

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Try: Mola (3)
Ntamack
Mignoni
Bernat-Salles
Con: Dourthe (4)
Pen: Dourthe (3)| | Try: Samuelson
Con: Van Dyk
Pen: Van Dyk (2)
Parc Lescure, Bordeaux
Attendance: 34,030
Referee: Chris White (England)

* * *

9 October 1999
13:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

Fiji | 38–22|  Canada

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Try: Satala (2)
Vunibaka
Lasagavibau
Con: Little (3)
Pen: Little (3)
Drop: Little| | Try: James
Con: Rees
Pen: Rees (4)
Drop: Rees
Parc Lescure, Bordeaux
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

* * *

14 October 1999
20:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

Canada | 72–11|  Namibia

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Try: Stanley (2)
Snow (2)
Nichols (2)
Charron
Ross
Williams
Con: Rees (9)
Pen: Rees (3)| | Try: Hough
Pen: Van Dyk (2)
Stade de Toulouse
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)

* * *

16 October 1999
14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

France | 28–19|  Fiji

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Try: Juillet
Dominici
Penalty try
Con: Dourthe (2)
Pen: Dourthe (2)
Lamaison| | Try: Uluinayau
Con: Little
Pen: Little (4)
Stade de Toulouse
Attendance: 36,000
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

### Pool D

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | PF  | PA  | Pts

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Wales | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 118 | 71 | 7
Samoa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 97 | 72 | 7
Argentina | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 51 | 7
Japan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 140 | 3

1 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Wales | 23–18|  Argentina

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Try: Charvis
Taylor
Con: Jenkins (2)
Pen: Jenkins (3)| | Pen: Quesada (6)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

* * *

3 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Samoa | 43–9|  Japan

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Try: Lima (2)
So'oalo (2)
Leaega
Con: Leaega (3)
Pen: Leaega (4)| | Pen: Hirose (3)
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)

* * *

9 October 1999
14:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Wales | 64–15|  Japan

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Try: Taylor (2)
Howley
Gibbs
Llewellyn
Thomas
Bateman
Howarth
Penalty try
Con: Jenkins (8)
Pen: Jenkins| | Try: Tuidraki
Ohata
Con: Hirose
Pen: Hirose
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: Joël Dume (France)

* * *

10 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Argentina | 32–16|  Samoa

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Try: Allub
Pen: Quesada (8)
Drop: Quesada| | Try: Paramore
Con: Leaega
Pen: Leaega (3)
Stradey Park, Llanelli
Attendance: 11,000
Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

* * *

14 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Wales | 31–38|  Samoa

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Try: Thomas
Penalty try (2)
Con: Jenkins (2)
Pen: Jenkins (4)| | Try: Bachop (2)
Falaniko
Lam
Leaega
Con: Leaega (5)
Pen: Leaega
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

* * *

16 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Argentina | 33–12|  Japan

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Try: Albanese
Pichot
Con: Contepomi
Pen: Quesada (7)| | Pen: Hirose (4)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 36,000
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

### Pool E

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | PF  | PA  | Pts

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Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 31 | 9
Ireland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 45 | 7
Romania | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 126 | 5
United States | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 52 | 135 | 3

2 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Ireland | 53–8|  United States

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Try: Bishop
Wood (4)
O'Driscoll
Penalty try
Con: Humphreys (4)
Elwood (2)
Pen: Humphreys (2)| Report| Try: Dalzell
Pen: Dalzell
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Joël Dume (France)

* * *

3 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Australia | 57–9|  Romania

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Try: Kefu (3)
Roff (2)
Kafer
Burke
Little
Horan
Con: Burke (5)
Eales| Report| Pen: Mitu (3)
Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast
Attendance: 12,500
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

* * *

9 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

United States | 25–27|  Romania

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Try: Shuman
Hightower
Lyle
Con: Dalzell (2)
Pen: Dalzell (2)| Report| Try: Petrache (2)
Solomie (2)
Con: Mitu (2)
Pen: Mitu
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

* * *

10 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Ireland | 3–23|  Australia

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Pen: Humphreys| Report| Try: Tune
Horan
Con: Burke (2)
Pen: Burke (2)
Eales
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 49,250
Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

* * *

14 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Australia | 55–19|  United States

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Try: Staniforth (2)
Latham
Whitaker
Foley
Burke
Larkham
Strauss
Con: Burke (5)
Roff
Pen: Burke| Report| Try: Grobler
Con: Dalzell
Pen: Dalzell (4)
Thomond Park, Limerick
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

* * *

15 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Ireland | 44–14|  Romania

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Try: O'Shea (2)
Ward
Tierney
O'Cuinneagain
Con: Elwood (5)
Pen: Elwood (2)
Drop: O'Driscoll| Report| Try: Săuan
Pen: Mitu (3)
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 33,000
Referee: Brian Campsall (England)

### Ranking of third-placed teams

[edit]

Qualified for quarter-final play-offs

Team  | W  | D  | L  | PF  | PA  | PD  | Pts

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Argentina | 2 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 51 | 32 | 7
Canada | 1 | 0 | 2 | 114 | 82 | 32 | 5
Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 97 | -55 | 5
Romania | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 126 | -76 | 5
Tonga | 1 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 171 | -124 | 5

## Play-off stage

[edit]

The quarter-final play-offs were three one-off knock-out matches between the runners-up of each pool and the best third-placed side from all five pools to decide the remaining three places in the quarter-finals. The matches were played in mid-week between the completion of the pool stage and the start of the quarter-finals. The matches produced fairly easy wins for England, beating Fiji 45–24, and also for Scotland, beating Samoa 35–20. However, the final match produced the shock of the round where Argentina upset Ireland 28–24 in Lens.

### Quarter-final play-offs

[edit]

20 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

England | 45–24|  Fiji

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|

Try: Luger
Back
Beal
Greening
Con: Dawson
Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson (7)| Report| Try: Satala
Nakauta
Tiko
Con: Little (3)
Pen: Serevi
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

* * *

20 October 1999
15:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Scotland | 35–20|  Samoa

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Try: C. Murray
M. Leslie
Penalty try
Con: Logan
Pen: Logan (5)
Drop: Townsend| Report| Try: Lima
Sititi
Con: Leaega (2)
Pen: Leaega (2)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

* * *

20 October 1999
20:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

Argentina | 28–24|  Ireland

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Try: Albanese
Con: Quesada
Pen: Quesada (7)| Report| Pen: Humphreys (7)
Drop: Humphreys
Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

## Knockout stage

[edit]

The winners from the quarter-final play-offs, who had played in mid-week, joined the pool winners, who had enjoyed a week long rest, in the quarter-finals. England, hosts Wales and Scotland were all knocked out, and France, who beat Argentina, were the only team left from the Northern Hemisphere.

The semi-finals, which were both played at Twickenham Stadium, produced two of the most dramatic matches of the tournament, with Australia beating South Africa 27–21 in extra-time after normal time ended with the scores locked at 18-18. The second semi-final between favourites New Zealand and underdogs France was an all-time classic, as France overturned a 24–10 deficit to win 43–31 and reach their second World Cup final. France and Australia met at the Millennium Stadium on 6 November 1999, with Australia winning 35–12 to become the first team to win the Webb Ellis Cup twice. The cup was presented by Queen Elizabeth II to Australian captain John Eales.[2][3]

The overall attendance for the tournament was 1.75 million.[5]

| Quarter-finals| | Semi-finals| | Final

|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

| 24 October – Stade de France| | | | |

|  South Africa| 44

| 30 October – Twickenham

|  England| 21 |

|  South Africa| 21

| 23 October – Millennium Stadium

| |  Australia (a.e.t.)| 27 |

|  Australia| 24

| | 6 November – Millennium Stadium

|  Wales| 9 |

|  Australia| 35

| 24 October – Murrayfield

| |  France| 12

|  New Zealand| 30

| 31 October – Twickenham|

|  Scotland| 18 |

|  New Zealand| 31

| 24 October – Lansdowne Road

| |  France| 43 | | Third place

|  France| 47

| | 4 November – Millennium Stadium

|  Argentina| 26 |

|  South Africa| 22

|  New Zealand| 18

### Quarter-finals

[edit]

23 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Wales | 9–24|  Australia

|
|

Pen: Jenkins (3)| Report| Try: Gregan (2)
Tune
Con: Burke (3)
Pen: Burke
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,000
Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)

* * *

24 October 1999
14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)

South Africa | 44–21|  England

|
|

Try: Van der Westhuizen
P. Rossouw
Con: De Beer (2)
Pen: De Beer (5)
Drop: De Beer (5)| Report| Pen: Grayson (6)
Wilkinson
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 75,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

* * *

24 October 1999
18:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Scotland | 18–30|  New Zealand

|
|

Try: C. Murray
Pountney
Con: Logan
Pen: Logan
Drop: Townsend| Report| Try: Umaga (2)
Wilson
Lomu
Con: Mehrtens (2)
Pen: Mehrtens (2)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 59,750
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

* * *

24 October 1999
15:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Argentina | 26–47|  France

|
|

Try: Pichot
Arbizu
Con: Quesada (2)
Pen: Quesada (3)
Contepomi| Report| Try: Garbajosa (2)
Bernat-Salles (2)
Ntamack
Con: Lamaison (5)
Pen: Lamaison (4)
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

### Semi-finals

[edit]

30 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)

Australia | 27–21
(a.e.t.)|  South Africa

|
|

Pen: Burke (8)
Drop: Larkham| Report| Pen: De Beer (6)
Drop: De Beer
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

* * *

31 October 1999
15:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)

France | 43–31|  New Zealand

|
|

Try: Lamaison
Dominici
Dourthe
Bernat-Salles
Con: Lamaison (4)
Pen: Lamaison (3)
Drop: Lamaison (2)| Report| Try: Lomu (2)
Wilson
Con: Mehrtens (2)
Pen: Mehrtens (4)
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

### Third-place play-off

[edit]

4 November 1999
20:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)

New Zealand | 18–22|  South Africa

|
|

Pen: Mehrtens (6)| Report| Try: Paulse
Con: Honiball
Pen: Honiball (3)
Drop: Montgomery (2)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

### Final

[edit]

Main article: 1999 Rugby World Cup final

6 November 1999
15:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)

Australia | 35–12|  France

|
|

Try: Tune
Finegan
Con: Burke (2)
Pen: Burke (7)| Report| Pen: Lamaison (4)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

## Statistics

[edit]

Main article: 1999 Rugby World Cup statistics

The tournament's top point scorer was Argentina's Gonzalo Quesada, who scored 102 points. Jonah Lomu scored eight tries, a Rugby World Cup record.

Top 10 point scorers  Player  | Team  | Position  | Played  | Tries  | Conv­ersions  | Penal­ties  | Drop goals  | Total points

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Gonzalo Quesada |  Argentina | Fly-half | 5 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 1 | 102
Matt Burke |  Australia | Full-back | 6 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 0 | 101
Jannie de Beer |  South Africa | Fly-half | 5 | 0 | 17 | 15 | 6 | 97
Andrew Mehrtens |  New Zealand | First five-eighth | 5 | 0 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 79
Jonny Wilkinson |  England | Fly-half | 4 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 69
Christophe Lamaison |  France | Fly-half | 6 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 65
Silao Leaega |  Samoa | Wing | 4 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 62
Neil Jenkins |  Wales | Fly-half | 4 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 57
Paul Grayson |  England | Fly-half | 4 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 54
Kenny Logan |  Scotland | Wing | 4 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 51

## Broadcasting

[edit]

British television rights holders ITV acted as the host broadcaster for the tournament, with S4C also broadcasting matches in the Welsh language.[6] with coverage shown in 209 countries, to an audience of 3.1 billion viewers.[7] In Australia, the event was broadcast by Seven Network.

### Broadcast UK history

[edit]

* ITV (1 October 1999 – 6 November 1999)
* S4C (1 October 1999 – 6 November 1999)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The International Rugby Board opened the sport to professionals in August 1995, after the 1995 tournament had been completed.
2. ^ a b "1999: France 43–31 N Zealand – BBC Sport". BBC News. 24 September 2003. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
3. ^ a b "1999: Aussies rule world again". BBC News. 24 September 2003. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
4. ^ "New Zealand Wins 2011 Rugby World Cup – Background and History". Goaustralia.about.com. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
5. ^ "Rugby World Cup Background and History". Goaustralia.about.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
6. ^ "ITV Sport tackles Rugby World Cup coverage with help from BT". BT Broadcast Services. 19 April 1999.
7. ^ Cain, Nick; Growden, Greg (2011). "17". Rugby Union for Dummies 3rd Edition. John Wiley & Sons. p. 261\. ISBN 9781119991823.

## External links

[edit]

External videos

Rugby World Cup 1999 Semi-Final: New Zealand v France on YouTube

* Rugbyworldcup.com
* 1999 Rugby World Cup Reports and Statistics (Archived)
* 1999 Rugby World Cup Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine on Worldcupweb.com
* Statistics on ESPN Scrum

* v
* t
* e

1999 Rugby World Cup

Stages|

* Pool A
* Pool B
* Pool C
* Pool D
* Pool E
* Knockout stage
* Final

General|

* Qualifying
* Squads
* Statistics

* v
* t
* e

1999 Rugby World Cup finalists

Champions|

Australia

Runner-up|

France

Third place|

South Africa

Fourth place|

New Zealand

Quarter-finals|

England,  Wales,  Scotland,  Argentina

Quarter-final play-offs|

Fiji,  Samoa,  Ireland

Pool stage|

Uruguay,  Spain,  Tonga,  Italy,  Canada,  Namibia,  Japan,  Romania,  United States

* v
* t
* e

Venues of the 1999 Rugby World Cup

* Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
* Stade de France (Saint-Denis)
* Twickenham Stadium (London)
* Murrayfield Stadium (Edinburgh)
* Hampden Park (Glasgow)
* Lansdowne Road (Dublin)
* Stade Félix Bollaert (Lens)
* Parc Lescure (Bordeaux)
* McAlpine Stadium (Huddersfield)
* Stade de Toulouse (Toulouse)
* Stade de la Méditerranée (Béziers)
* Ashton Gate (Bristol)
* Welford Road Stadium (Leicester)
* Racecourse Ground (Wrexham)
* Thomond Park (Limerick)
* Ravenhill Stadium (Belfast)
* Stradey Park (Llanelli)
* Netherdale (Galashiels)

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Rugby World Cup

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* 2003
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Knockout stages|

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Finals|

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Squads|

* 1987
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Statistics|

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* History
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Overall records|

* All-time table
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Notes: There was no qualification for the 1987 World Cup as places were given by invitation only.

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

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* United States

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