World cup of Rugby to XV

The World cup of Rugby to XV is most important of international competitions of Rugby to XV. It is organized by the International Rugby Board (IRB) and puts at the catches national selections. This competition, disputed every four years, proceeded for the first time in 1987, at the same time in New Zealand and Australia.

The trophy rewarding the winner of this competition is called William Webb Ellis Trophy , in homage to William Webb Ellis which would have invented Rugby in 1823. Actually, the origins of Rugby are much older.

The championship of the world of Rugby to XV is currently held by the team of South Africa and will be given concerned at the time of the World cup of Rugby to XV 2011, organized by the New Zealand.

History

As of 1947, Alfred Eluère, then president of the French federation of Rugby (FR), puts forward the idea of a great competition gathering the teams of the hemispheres Northern and South. This idea is rejected by the IRB which considers it “eccentric”. It is taken again at the end of the Années 1970 by another president of FR, Albert Ferrasse, but it is still not followed.

The Five Nations tournament is then the only competition of Rugby to XV which opposes more than two great nations of Rugby to XV, it is disputed only by the best European teams: nations of the United Kingdom, the Ireland and France. If one excludes the tournaments of Rugby disputed during the Olympic Games of summer of 1900 with 1924, there did not exist great international competition putting at the catches the nations hemispheres northern and south. The Tri-nations, which is disputed by the three best teams of the southern hemisphere, was born only in 1996.

The IRB pushes back the idea to organize a world cup in 1983, primarily to prevent that this competition becomes a business transaction and puts an end to amateurism. Australia makes a proposal of organization in June 1983, followed later a few months by New Zealand in March 1984. Following these two proposals, the IRB requires that a feasibility study be made. This study begins on December 1st, 1984.

The opposition to the creation of the world cup came from the British federations of Rugby which feared that it puts a term at amateurism.

In March 1985, in Paris, the IRB decides that the first tournament will be organized jointly by Australia and New Zealand, during June 1987 and May. The organization is divided between the two countries because on the one hand New Zealand does not have the sufficient infrastructures to organize only the competition, and on the other hand this alliance is necessary so that the project is approved. The decisive vote in favor of the organization of the world cup of Rugby is provided by the South Africa, although this country is not able to take part, taking into account the policy of Apartheid which it practices at that time.

The first edition is gained in 1987 by the team of New Zealand which finally beats the team of France by 29-9.

The team of Australia finally gains the edition of 1991 by beating the team of England over the score of 12-6. It finally gains also the title in 1999 after having beaten France by 35-12.

The team of South Africa takes part for the first time in 1995, it gains the world cup 1995 of which it is the organizing country. Springboks (nickname of the team of South Africa) finally beat the team of New Zealand by 15-12. In 2007, Springboks gain the world cup for the second time. They thus equalize the Australian ones with the prize list.

The first team of the northern Hemisphere to gain the cut is the England in 2003. She finally beats the team of Australia on the score of 20-17. She gives her trophy concerned in 2007, arrives until finally and loses against South Africa 15 to 6.

Of an sports event with popularity moderated in 1987, the competition quickly becomes one of the major sporting meetings behind the Olympic Games and the Football world cup: nearly 100 teams the tournaments of 2003 dispute and 2007 and more than 3 billion cumulated televiewers the matches in 1999 and 2003 follow.

Organization

The world cup of Rugby to XV is organized every four years since 1987. The one starting year choice odd makes it possible not to be in competition neither with the Football world cup nor with the Olympic Games which are held the even years.

The Rugby World Cup Limited (RWC Ltd.) supervises the organization of the world cup under all its aspects: sportsman, lawful, commercial and financial. It is directed by five directors, elected by the Council of IRB. The choice of the organizing country is made, at least four years before the course of the final tournament, by a secret vote of the members of the IRB.

Since its creation, all the editions were held in countries where Rugby with XV is a popular sport, largely practiced: the New Zealand and the Australia (1987), the England (1991), the South Africa (1995), the Wales (1999), Australia (2003) and France (2007). It will be again the case at the time of the edition 2011, in New Zealand.

France is the organizing country of the edition 2007 which is held September 7th with the October 20th. The large majority of the meetings disputes in France, except for four matches played Millennium Stadium of Cardiff (Wales) and two with Murrayfield (Scotland).

New Zealand is retained to organize the edition of preferably 2011 in South Africa, eliminated with the first turn of the vote, and Japan, eliminated with the second. The federation of Argentine gives the decisive vote which makes it possible New Zealand to be organizing. The lack of transparency of the procedure of vote was criticized on this occasion but the New Zealand federation denies that arrangements took place in order to obtain the support of Argentina.

Japan is candidate to organize the edition of 2015.

Course of the competition

See also: World cup of Rugby at XV 1987, World cup of Rugby at XV 1991, World cup of Rugby at XV 1995, World cup of Rugby at XV 1999, World cup of Rugby to XV 2003, World cup of Rugby to XV 2007

Since the edition of 1991, this competition is held in two phases: a phase of qualification and a final tournament. At the time of the edition of 1987, the sixteen qualified teams were chosen by the IRB and invitation.

Phase of qualification

The places number disputed during the preliminary test of qualification is equal to 8 for the edition 1991, 7 in 1995, 16 in 1999, 12 in 2003 and 2007. This variation is related on the one hand to the increase in the number of selections present at the final tournament to leave 1999, which passes from 16 to 20 teams. In addition the number of qualified office also varied: if the eight teams which disputed the quarterfinals of the former edition are generally qualified automatically for the final stage, the edition 1999 granted this right only to the three first of 1995 and to the country host and that of 1995 extended it to the organizer.

The limitation of the number of teams qualified automatically for the edition of 1999 does not have in fact changed anything since the eight quarters of finalists of edition 1995 took part in the world cup of 1999 and seven of them arrived again in quarterfinal - the exception coming from the Ireland beaten by the Argentine in match of stopping. These results show the superiority of the 8 or 9 better teams of the world and justify that since the edition of 2003 the teams which disputed the quarterfinals of an edition are again qualified for the following edition. In fact, seven of the eight first of 1999, qualified office, arrived in quarterfinals in 2003, the Argentine constituting the exception.

The other places are disputed at the time of tournaments of qualifications. For the edition 2007, three places are allotted to the America S, one with the Asia, one with the Africa, three with the Europe and two with the Oceania. The two last places are allotted by fishing out, between the teams best placed but not retained on the one hand in Europe and Africa, and on the other hand in Asia and Oceania.

At the time of the edition the 2003 attribution of the places in phase of qualification is similar but Europe and Americas respectively had four places and two places. Right before the beginning of the World cup 2007, the IRB announces a reform of the phase of qualifications for the edition 2011 with the creation of a Rugby World Trophy in 2010, a competition which will make it possible to determine qualified coming to supplement the plate of the competition, already gathering the three first of each hen of the edition 2007, that is to say twelve teams.

Final tournament

First turn

During the final tournament, the national selections are generally gathered in hen S. Of four (1987 to 1995) then five (1999) hens of four team, the first turn since 2003 is organized in of four hens of five. Each team once faces each adversary of her hen, the two teams best placed are qualified to dispute the quarterfinals.

The precise rules in the classification of the first turn (hens) varied according to the editions: one allots a certain number of points to the victories, the null matches, the tight defeats as well as a premium with a team registering a certain number of tests. In the event of equality of several teams, several criteria can be used: the winner of the matches played between teams ex æquo, the largest team having differences of points and/or tests, the greatest number of points and/or registered tests., ! style=" to border: nun; background: none" | ! 1987 ! 1991 ! 1995 ! 1999 ! 2003 ! 2007 |- ! style=" text-align: left" | Comparaison
(tests, paperboards) ||||||||||| |- ! style=" text-align: left" | Prolongation s
(2x10 min) ||||||||||| |- ! style=" text-align: left" | Sudden death
(1x10 min) ||||||||||| |- ! style=" text-align: left" | Shootings with the goal
(drop S) ||||||||||| |} The continuation of the competition proceeds between the eight best teams resulting from hens and comprises three turns with direct elimination: quarterfinals, half finales and finale. This one puts at the catches the winners of the semi-finals, the losers disputing the “small final” for the 3rd place of the competition. The quarters of finalists are not classified.

The determination of the winner of the matches in the event of equality at the end of the prescribed time varied during the various tournaments. It always comprised Prolongation S; the difference concerns decides between it teams if 2 X 10 minutes of additional time lead to a tie. Since 2003, an additional prolongation with “ sudden death” then a meeting of shootings of drop S in the event of persistent equality. and 2003. One did not need little of them - a drop of Jonny Wilkinson with the 100e minute - so that the England-Australia meeting at the time of the finale of 2003 did not lead to sudden death. These provisions however were never useful, all the matches finishing on a difference in points.,

Participation

For the first edition, in 1987,16 national selections take part in the competition. They represented as a majority of the members of IRB. Thereafter, the number of participants increases quickly to reach the number of 94 for the edition 2007 so that a system of qualificative phase per geographical area is set up as of 1991. Since 1999, a system of fishing out is introduced at the time of the qualificative phase which opposes first not qualified various continents; the system amounts giving a variable number of places to each geographical area according to their performance.

During the first three editions 16 teams take part in the final stage of the tournament; this number passes to 20 for the three following ones. Are described as office the eight teams having reached the quarterfinals at the time of the preceding competition, except for the edition of 1995 which also grants it to the country host and that of 1999 which grants this privilege only to three best of 1995 and to the host. Thus the number of places of qualification at the time of the qualificative phases it varied from 8 and 7 in 1991 and 1995 per 25 (see) and 43 national selections candidates respectively. The number of places of qualification passes to 16 in 1999 per 65 nations, then to 12 in 2003 and 2007 for 81 and 86 selections (see Qualifications for the World cup of Rugby to XV of 2007).

Results

Continents represented in the final tournament

The payment of qualification of the world cup ensures that all the continents are represented in the final tournament because of the phase of qualification per geographical area. Since the first edition of 1987 played between 16 invited nations, each world cup saw at least a country gaining a first qualification with the competition:

1991: Samoa,
1995: Ivory Coast and South Africa,
1999: Namibia, Spain and Uruguay,
2003: Georgia,
2007: Portugal,

changing to 24 numbers of teams arrived in the final tournament of one of the editions.

Prize list

In spite of an opening to the various continents and the newcomers by qualification, the assessment reveals clearly that the competition is dominated up to now by five teams, three of the Southern hemisphere and two European S: the Australia, the New Zealand, the South Africa, the England and the France. They are indeed the only teams which arrived finally.

Three other teams reached the stage of the semi-finals: the Wales in 1987, the Scotland in 1991 and Argentina in 2007; 5 others, is 13 on the whole, disputed a quarterfinal. The Zealand News and France are the two only teams to have known only one elimination before the semi-finals (in 2007 for New Zealand and 1991 for France).

Records and statistics

See also: Statistical and records of the world cup of Rugby to XV

Personal statistics

The personal statistics given by the official site relate to mainly the number of registered points and the manner of marking them (tests, transformations, drops and penalties). They reflect at the same time the individual talent of a certain type of players (for example strikers) and collective work leading to the occasions to mark.

The New Zealander Jonah Lomu is the best marker of tests of the world cup and was also one of the best players of the editions 1995 and 1999, but in spite of its excellent performances he was not world champion. South-African the Bryan Habana joined it at the time of the edition 2007.

Among the seven best markers of tests during an edition (with 7 to 8 registered tests), five are New Zealand. A contrario , the individual classification in terms of points marked during an edition shows a more open panel with six different nationalities (New Zealand, England, France, Scotland, Argentina, Australia)

The assessment in term of tests is an indicator of the particularly offensive play of New Zealand in the various world cups even if the selection gained only once the cut Webb Ellis. A contrario , the Australian ones, whose no player appears in the first five markers of tests or points, gained twice the tournament.

The preceding individual statistics are often brought back to the number of tests or points per match to compensate for the number of meetings disputed, which varies from three to seven, according to the format of the edition and the level of the competition reached. It is noticed that, if the classification is modified, they are same the players who appear among the five first.

Collective statistics

The performance of a team is indicated by the number of points marked (as well as the method) as indicated by the official site |--- ! Edition ! Télévision
(billion) ! Stades
(million) |-- | 1987 || 0,30 || 0,6 |-- | 1991 || 1,75 || 1,0 |-- | 1995 || 2,67 || 1,0 |-- | 1999 || 3,10 || 1,75 |-- | 2003 || 3,40 || 1,8 |} The data opposite are an indicator of the growing popularity of the competition since 1987 until today. It is possible that the tendency is confirmed at the time of the edition 2007: the request for tickets of entry indeed was very strong as of the first days of setting on sale to the public.^,

Televisual cover

The final of the edition 2003 was retransmise in 205 countries. The number cumulated televiewers progresses of one edition to the other, with very a strong growth on the first four editions of 300 million in 1987 to 2,67 billion in 1995. The growth rate decreases until 2003, which attracts 3,4 billion televiewers.

Presence in the stages

The edition of 2003 attracts the greatest number cumulated spectators: 1 837 547 for the 48 disputed meetings. The growth since 1987 however is marked than that of the number of televiewers and remains primarily related to the increase in the number of matches disputed. The average multitude, one of most important recorded during an international competition, knew only one variation moderated between 1991 and 2003: if, in 2003, the median number of spectators per meeting is equal to 38 282, this number is only moderately higher than those of the editions of 1991 and 1995 (31 250) and lower than that of 1999 (42 683) - only the first edition attracts a definitely lower number, 18.750 spectators. As comparison, the record of the number of spectators per match at the time of a Football world cup, the event most popular, is obtained at the time of that of 1994 to the the United States with 68 991 spectators.

The record number of spectators for a final of world cup of Rugby is obtained in 2003. The meeting disputed with the Telstra Stadium of Sydney (Australia) attracts 82 957 spectators.

Foreign visitors

A study made at the request of the Australian government shows that the world cup of Rugby 2003 attracted 65 000 visitors in Australia, against 110 000 for the Olympic Games of summer of 2000, disputed with Sydney. |- ! Edition ! Budget (M £) ! Benefit (M £) |- ! 1987 | 3,3 | 1,0 |- ! 1991 | 23,6 | 4,1 |- ! 1995 | 30,3 | 17,6 |- ! 1999 | 70,0 | 47,3 |- ! 2003 | 81,8 | 64,3 |}
The table which precedes watch that the budget and the profits generated by the world cup of Rugby increased with each edition. and of a cost of 126 million books (approximately 190 million euros). Financing being provided by private investors, public funds (46 million books), loans and the sale of tickets of entry. The construction of the stage generated 1200 employment during two years and the operation of sports complex created 1600 established posts in the area. The organizers have in fact carried out a benefit of 150 million dollars. 4476 full-time or part-time jobs were created. ^, ^, the New Zealand government provides that the organization of the edition 2011 should generate for 408 million New Zealand dollars (approximately 200 million euros) with the economy and 90 million taxes (approximately 45 million euros). ^,

Political aspect

The world cup of Rugby had also an influence in sporting extra fields, for example on the sociological and political level. The edition of 1995 was the first great international sporting event organized by South Africa during the time post-apartheid. It was held one year after the first multiracial elections by the vote for all organized in this country and a year after the election of Nelson Mandela as president. It is recognized that the successful organization of the world cup in South Africa contributed to the process of reconciliation which began in this country in 1995, year of the installation of the Commission of the truth and the reconciliation. ^, In South Africa, Rugby with XV was traditionally the sport par excellence white, since the world cup 1995 it is more practiced by the black population. and had positive economic consequences for the organizers and the federations concerned. It made it possible to increase confrontations between the best teams of the hemispheres northern and south: in the 20 seasons preceding the first edition, Australia and New Zealand add up 44 matches against England or France; in the twenty following ones, 75.^, the tournament also gave the opportunity to the teams less re-elected to meet the strongest teams within the framework of meetings of world cup or matches of preparation: for example, of 1967 to 1986, Italy meets 4 times England, France, New Zealand or Australia, this figure passes to 37 of 1987 to 2006; for Argentina the number of parts disputed against these teams grows from 20 to 51. That thus contributed to raise the level of the weaker teams.

On the plan of the infrastructures, the organization of the world cup of Rugby gives the opportunity to a country to create new stages and to improve the existing stages. As example, the Millennium Stadium of Cardiff was created at the time of the world cup 1999 and, with its capacity of 74 500 places, it then became the greatest stage of the the United Kingdom.

The trophy

Notes & references

See too

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