Home > Rugby Union > Events > World Cup

The Rugby Union World Cup

The first rugby union World Cup was held in 1987. It was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand and has been played every four years since. The current holders are England who beat Australia to take the title in 2003.

The next rugby union World Cup will be held in France during September to October 2007 (with some matches held in Wales and Scotland).

The teams play to win the William Webb Ellis Trophy, named after the schoolboy who allegedly initiated the sport at Rugby Public School in England.

Qualifying for the Rugby Union World Cup

Qualification for the world's premier rugby union event is a large undertaking. In 2005, 61 teams from across the globe played 100 matches in order to qualify for the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup.

There are twenty places available, with eight given automatically to those who made it to the quarter finals in the previous World Cup competition. This means that New Zealand, Ireland, France, England, Scotland, South Africa, Wales and Australia do not have to take part in the qualifying competition.

Of the remaining twelve places, ten are drawn from the winners of the qualifying competition on each continent, with the remaining two coming from the repechage play offs.

Format of the Rugby Union World Cup

Twenty teams are put into four groups of five, and each team in that group plays each other. The winner and runner-up of each group goes on to the quarter finals.

The tournament becomes a knockout competition with eight teams playing in the quarter finals for four places in the semi finals etc. The final will be held in St Denis on the 20th October 2007.

Fixtures for the Rugby Union World Cup

Here are the fixtures for the World Cup 2007, bearing in mind that qualification for the tournament hasn't finished yet. For example, 'Oceania 1' denotes the team that wins the Oceania qualification competition.

07 September 2007:

France v Americas 1 (Pool D)

08 September 2007:

England v Americas 3 (Pool A)

Australia v Asia (Pool B)

New Zealand v Europe 1 (Pool C)

09 September 2007:

Ireland v Africa (Pool D)

Wales v Americas 2 (Pool B)

South Africa v Samoa (Pool A)

Scotland v Repechage 1 (Pool C)

11 September 2007:

Americas 1 v Europe 3 (Pool D)

12 September 2007:

Europe 1 v Europe 2 (Pool C)

Americas 3 v Repechage 2 (Pool A)

Asia v Fiji (Pool B)

14 September 2007:

England v South Africa (Pool A)

15 September 2007:

Ireland v Europe 3 (Pool D)

Wales v Australia (Pool B)

New Zealand v Repechage 1 (Pool C)

16 September 2007:

Fiji v Americas 2 (Pool B)

Oceania 1 v Repechage 2 (Pool A)

France v Africa (Pool D)

18 September 2007:

Scotland v Europe 2 (Pool C)

19 September 2007:

Europe 1 v Repechage 1 (Pool C)

20 September 2007:

Wales v Asia (Pool B)

21 September 2007:

France v Ireland (Pool D)

22 September 2007:

South Africa v Repechage 2 (Pool A)

Americas 1 v Africa (Pool D)

England v Samoa (Pool A)

23 September 2007:

Scotland v New Zealand (Pool C)

Australia v Fiji (Pool B)

25 September 2007:

Americas 2 v Asia (Pool B)

Europe 2 v Repechage 1 (Pool C)

26 September 2007:

Europe 3 v Africa (Pool D)

Samoa v Americas 3 (Pool A)

28 September 2007:

England v Repechage 2 (Pool A)

29 September 2007:

Australia v Americas 2 (Pool B)

Wales v Fiji (Pool B)

Scotland v Europe 1 (Pool C)

New Zealand v Europe 2 (Pool C)

30 September 2007:

France v Europe 3 (Pool D)

South Africa v Americas 3 (Pool A)

Ireland v Americas 1 (Pool D)

Quarter Finals: 6^th Oct - 7^th Oct 2007

Semi Finals: 13^th - 14^th Oct 2007

3^rd/4^th Place match: 19^th Oct 2007

Final: 20^th Oct 2007

Previous Winners of the Rugby Union World Cup

Although there have only been five World Cup competitions, Australia have been the most successful side so far with two wins and one second place.

Here are the five winners of the Rugby Union World Cup:

• 1987: New Zealand
• 1991: Australia
• 1995: South Africa
• 1999: Australia
• 2003: England.

Betting on the Rugby Union World Cup

There are many ways to bet on the 2007 World Cup, from the first try scorer to the overall tournament winner. You can bet on which side wins their pool or who scores the most tries (team or player), giving you plenty of choice.

For the latest odds on the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup from a range of bookmakers and betting exchanges, visit our Latest Odds section.

The 2007 World Cup is only one of many events in the rugby union calendar. Check out other rugby events!

If you are new to betting and want to place a bet on the 2007 World Cup be sure to check out our Rugby Union - How To Bet section for some betting hints and tips.

Add to del.icio.us