By Jonny Wilkinson to Nelson Mandela, we take a look at some of the most spectacular moments in Rugby World Cup history before the 2019 version’s enormous kick off…
Still, four years on, it’s one of the most sporting minutes to look back upon. The Springboks were confronted by japan in 2015 in the Rugby World Cup and were anticipated at best to maintain the score respectable in defeat, at worst to have blown away.
Eddie Jones‘ charges that were spirited kept neck-and-neck with the Springboks in Brighton – whose sheer size uttered the Brave Blossoms throughout the playground – until pulling off the jolt in rugby history – possibly even sporting history.
This was the first meeting between the 2 nations, and after an early Japan penalty, the Test seemed to settle in predictable fashion since Francois Louw felt the opening try at the back.
But, to the surprise of everyone watching, Japan responded with a maul try as skipper Michael Leitch – a 10 male variation with backs piling in – of their own.
Even the Boks and Bismark du Plessis reacted within three minutes, touching at the back of another rolling maul to exit 12-10 to matters into South Africa at half-time – the Western team as they departed making a standing ovation.
Lood De Jager and Adrian Strauss tries into the second half each seemed set to put the Boks on their way, but they couldn’t shake Japan since the boot of Ayumu Goromaru maintained his team in touch – four penalties from a quarter hour either side of their Boks attempts – and a superbly worked try by exactly the same player left matters, almost unbelievably, 29-29 with 10 minutes left.
A Handre Pollard penalty with seven minutes remaining saw South Africa regain the lead 32-29, until the drama began. Before South Africa’s Coenie Oosthuizen has been sin-binned for murdering the ball on his own 39,, japan, playing at phenomenal pace, worked their way up to and inside and played 19 phases.
And after that, with turned two penalty shots and opportunities to draw level, and also was held up across the try-line once earlier, Japan and Karne Hesketh struck in the corner – four minutes in to lifeless period – to provoke pure unadulterated bedlam at Brighton, Japan and throughout the French community. This had been magic.
Perhaps the greatest Rugby World Cup Test France vs New Zealand in their 1999 semi-final, of all time was described, at the time, as the greatest upset in World Cup history.
There are underdogs in World Cup knockout games, and then there is France against the All Blacks in 1999. Les Bleus had lost by 47 points to precisely exactly the same resistance four months. They had ended the Five Nations stone bottom six months previous later defeats at home to Scotland in Paris, off to England and to Wales.
And throughout the World Cup pool stages, they’d sent 20 points into Canada, 13 points to Namibia and 19 things to Fiji – all in victory, however alarming. They had been expected to get destroyed at Twickenham.
France started brightly, and when 5’7″ wing Christophe Dominici ripped through the All Blacks defence from his own halfout-half Christophe Lamaison strolled around to the opening try.
As the wing made a signature bulldozing score seven Frenchman incapable to bargain with him , ahead of New Zealand heading in at half-time using a seven point lead, the All Blacks reacted through the late Jonah Lomu in just four minutes.
When Lomu fell again five minutes into the next period – bundling five France players out of their way on a streak from 30 metres that are odd outside – that the New Zealand lead was 14 points, and the game appeared over.
Two penalties against Lamaison and two drop targets cut the gap and if Dominici took advantage of a wicked bounce following having a Fabien Galthie kick on turnover ball, France needed a five-point lead.
Over the hour , centre Richard Dourthe then seized upon a Lamaison chip over the top of the New Zealand defence, sending Twickenham crazy with France obtaining a 12-point lead that was believable.
After wing Philippe Bernat-Salles played with a French try on the break the rating was extended to 43-24. It had been the day of France following a breathtaking performance, although jeff Wilson notched a consolation to leave items 43-31.
Heading into the 2003 World Cup in England Australia and head coach Clive Woodward with anointing the team had placed tremendous pressure the best on the planet.
England deservedly had this mantle, with uttered a Grand Slam and conquered at both the All Blacks and Australia up into the tournament. But expectation was enormous.
By the time of this final, having beaten Wales and France and South Africa in the own pool in the quarter-finals along with England had been to confront hosts Australia – that the Wallabies and the All Blacks having breathed apart in the semi-final.
Led by Eddie Jones, Australia struck on the front in the closing about six minutes when wing Lote Tuqiri towered over Jason Robinson to assert a Stephen Larkham cross-field kick.
Three Jonny Wilkinson penalties watched a 9-5 lead is gained by Woodward’s prices, and England needed a healthy 14-5 half-time benefit when Robinson slid in for a try two minutes from the period after a movement.
As Wilkinson missed 2 drop-goal efforts england were not to score a point in the second half, however, and Wallabies 10 Elton Flatley together with three penalties, one in the very last minute of the match, meaning extra-time, penalized them could follow.
A penalty in extra time left things 17-17, until England established one opportunity after scrum-half Matt Dawson made a break up the middle to set up Wilkinson.
With only 26 minutes the out-half bisected the posts using a drop goal via his foot to a stunning end and cue ecstasy to the closing. It remains the greatest day in history.
Second World Trainers and rugby’s first in 1987 and 1991 were shorn as a consequence of the global sports boycott because of apartheid of the Springboks.
As they hosted the competition in the wake of talks to end apartheid, South Africa’s first involvement was therefore marked by the sport edition of this championship in 1995.
Against defending champions Australia in the opening game, the Boks announced themselves with a great 27-18 win at Newlands, going on to high their pool prior to beating Western Samoa and France en route to some house World Cup final.
Additionally, they faced the All Blacks at Ellis Park plus also a tight first half left things 9-6 into South Africa after two penalties and a drop target by Joel Stransky.
Andrew Mehrtens levelled the tie using a drop-goal on 55 minutes, and should have won it late on with another attempt centrally from just outside the 22, but chopped broad, sending the game to extra time – the very first time a Rugby World Cup final had completed.
New Zealand edged before a penalty was converted by Mehrtens, but Stransky would have the last say as he levelled things using a penalty and won the game.
In the End of the closing, South Africa president Nelson Mandela emerged, clad at Springbok kit, to pass skipper Francois Pienaar the William Webb Ellis Cup in a symbol of the Country’s progression.
It has gone down as one of the most iconic moments in the history of sport, along with an abysmal image which will not be forgotten about.
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