Australia at the Rugby World Cup
The Australia national rugby union team, known as the Wallabies, has played in all ten Rugby World Cup tournaments. They have won the World Cup on two occasions; only New Zealand and South Africa have won more. Australia has hosted or co-hosted the tournament twice – in 1987 and 2003, and is scheduled to host it in 2027.
By position[edit]
| Rugby World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  1987
|
Fourth place | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 186 | 108 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
     1991
|
Champions | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 55 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 1995
|
Quarter-finals | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 109 | 66 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999
|
Champions | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 221 | 73 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003
|
Runners-up | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 345 | 78 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007
|
Quarter-finals | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 225 | 53 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011
|
Third place | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 211 | 95 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015
|
Runners-up | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 222 | 118 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 2019
|
Quarter-finals | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 152 | 108 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 2023
|
Pool stage | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 90 | 91 | Squad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2027
|
To be determined. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 2031
|
To be determined. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | Champions (2) | 57 | 44 | 0 | 13 | 1,887 | 845 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By tournament[edit]
1987 New Zealand & Australia[edit]
Pool 1
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | T | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 41 | +67 | 18 | 6 | Knockout stage |
| England
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 32 | +68 | 15 | 4 | |
| United States
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 99 | −60 | 5 | 2 | |
 Japan
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 48 | 123 | −75 | 7 | 0 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 23 May 1987 |
| Australia | 19–6[1][2] | England |
| Try: Campese Poidevin Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh (3) | Try: Harrison Con: Webb |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 17,896 Referee: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand) |
| 31 May 1987 |
| Australia | 47–12[3][4] | United States |
| Try: Leeds (2) Penalty try Campese Smith Slack Papworth Codey Con: Lynagh (6) Pen: Lynagh | Try: Nelson Con: Nelson Pen: Nelson Drop: Horton |
| Ballymore, Brisbane Attendance: 10,855 Referee: Brian Anderson (Scotland) |
| 3 June 1987 |
| Australia | 42–23[5][6] | Japan |
| Try: Slack (2) Burke (2) Tuynman Grigg Hartill Campese Con: Lynagh (5) | Try: Kutsuki (2) Fujita Con: Okidoi Pen: Okidoi (2) Drop: Okidoi |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 8,785 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland) |
Quarter-final
| 7 June 1987 |
| Australia | 30–24 | Ireland |
| Try: Burke McIntyre Smith Con: Lynagh (4) Pen: Lynagh (3) | Try: Kiernan MacNeil Con: Kiernan (2) Pen: Kiernan |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Brian Anderson (New Zealand) |
Semi-final
| 13 June 1987 |
| Australia | 24–30 | France |
| Try: Campese Codey Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (3) Drop: Lynagh | Try: Lorieux Sella Lagisquet Blanco Con: Camberabero (4) Pen: Camberabero (2) |
| Concord Oval, Sydney Attendance: 17,768 Referee: Brian Anderson (Scotland) |
Third place play-off
| 18 June 1987 |
| Australia | 21–22 | Wales |
| Try: Burke Grigg Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh (2) Drop: Lynagh | Try: Roberts Moriarty Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) |
| Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua Referee: Fred Howard (England) |
1991 UK, Ireland and France[edit]
Pool 3
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 25 | +54 | 6 |
 Western Samoa
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 34 | +20 | 4 |
| Wales
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 61 | −29 | 2 |
 Argentina
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 83 | −45 | 0 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 4 October 1991 |
| Argentina | 19–32 | Australia |
| Try: Teran (2) Con: Del Castillo Pen: Del Castillo Drop: Arbizu (2) | Try: Campese (2) Horan (2) Kearns Con: Lynagh (3) Pen: Lynagh (2) |
| Stradey Park, Llanelli Referee: Dave Bishop (New Zealand) |
| 9 October 1991 |
| Australia | 9–3 | Western Samoa |
| Pen: Lynagh (3) | Pen: Vaea |
| Pontypool Park, Pontypool Referee: Ed Morrison (England) |
| 12 October 1991 |
| Wales | 3–38 | Australia |
| Pen: Ring | Try: Roebuck (2) Slattery Campese Horan Lynagh Con: Lynagh (4) Pen: Lynagh (2) |
| Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Referee: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand) |
Quarter-final
| 20 October 1991 |
| Ireland | 18–19 | Australia |
| Try: Hamilton Con: Keyes Pen: Keyes (3) Drop: Keyes | Try: Campese (2) Lynagh Con: Lynagh (2) Pen: Lynagh |
| Lansdowne Road, Dublin Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland) |
Semi-final
| 27 October 1991 |
| Australia | 16–6 | New Zealand |
| Try: Campese Horan Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh (2) | Pen: Fox (2) |
| Lansdowne Road, Dublin Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland) |
Final
| 27 October 1991 |
| Australia | 12–6 | England |
| Try: Daly Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh (2) | Pen: Webb (2) |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales) |
1995 South Africa[edit]
Pool A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 26 | +42 | 9 |
| Australia
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 87 | 41 | +46 | 7 |
 Canada
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 45 | 50 | −5 | 5 |
 Romania
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 97 | −83 | 3 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 25 May 1995 |
| South Africa | 27–18 | Australia |
| Try: Hendriks Stransky Con: Stransky Pen: Stransky (4) Drop: Stransky | Try: Kearns Lynagh Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh |
| Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 51,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales) |
| 31 May 1995 |
| Australia | 27–11 | Canada |
| Try: Lynagh Tabua Roff Con: Lynagh (3) Pen: Lynagh (2) | Try: Charron Pen: Rees (2) |
| Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Patrick Robin (France) |
| 3 June 1995 |
| Australia | 42–3 | Romania |
| Try: Smith Wilson Roff Foley Burke Con: Burke (2) Eales (4) | Pen: Ivanciuc |
| Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Naoki Saito (Japan) |
Quarter-final
| Australia | 22–25 | England |
| Try: Smith Con: Lynagh Pen: Lynagh (5) | Try: T. Underwood Con: Andrew Pen: Andrew (5) Drop: Andrew |
| Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Referee: Dave Bishop (New Zealand) |
1999 Wales[edit]
Pool E
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 31 | +104 | 9 |
| Ireland
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 45 | +55 | 7 |
| Romania
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 126 | −76 | 5 |
| United States
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 52 | 135 | −83 | 3 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 3 October 1999 |
| Australia | 57–9 | Romania |
| Try: Kefu (3) Roff (2) Kafer Burke Little Horan Con: Burke (5) Eales | Pen: Mitu (3) |
| Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand) |
| 10 October 1999 |
| Ireland | 3–23 | Australia |
| Pen: Humphreys | Try: Tune Horan Con: Burke (2) Pen: Burke (2) Eales |
| Lansdowne Road, Dublin Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales) |
| 14 October 1999 |
| Australia | 55–19 | United States |
| Try: Staniforth (2) Latham Whitaker Foley Burke Larkham Strauss Con: Burke (5) Roff Pen: Burke | Try: Grobler Con: Dalzell Pen: Dalzell (4) |
| Thomond Park, Limerick Referee: André Watson (South Africa) |
Quarter-final
| 23 October 1999 |
| Wales | 9–24 | Australia |
| Pen: Jenkins (3) | Try: Gregan (2) Tune Con: Burke (3) Pen: Burke |
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 74,499 Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand) |
Semi-final
| 30 October 1999 |
| South Africa | 21–27 (a.e.t.) | Australia |
| Pen: De Beer (6) Drop: De Beer | Pen: Burke (8) Drop: Larkham |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 75,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales) |
Final
| 6 November 1999 |
| Australia | 35–12 | France |
| Try: Tune Finegan Con: Burke (2) Pen: Burke (7) | Pen: Lamaison (4) |
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 74,500 Referee: André Watson (South Africa) |
2003 Australia[edit]
Pool A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 273 | 32 | +241 | 2 | 18 | Quarter-finals |
| Ireland
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 141 | 56 | +85 | 3 | 15 | |
| Argentina
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 140 | 57 | +83 | 3 | 11 | |
| Romania
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 65 | 192 | −127 | 1 | 5 | |
 Namibia
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 310 | −282 | 0 | 0 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 10 October 2003 |
| Australia | 24–8 | Argentina |
| Try: Sailor 20' Roff 74' Con: Flatley Pen: Flatley (4) | Try: Corleto 72' Pen: M. Contepomi |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 81,350 Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand) |
| 18 October 2003 |
| Australia | 90–8 | Romania |
| Try: Flatley Rogers (3) Burke (2) Larkham (2) Mortlock Roff Giteau Tuqiri Smith Con: Flatley (11) Pen: Flatley | Try: Toderașc Pen: Tofan |
| Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 48,778 Referee: Pablo De Luca (Argentina) |
| 25 October 2003 |
| Australia | 142–0 | Namibia |
| Try: Latham (5) Lyons Mortlock Tuqiri (3) Penalty try Rogers (2) Paul Giteau (3) Grey Turinui (2) Burke Roe Con: Rogers (16) |
| Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 33,000 Referee: Joël Jutge (France) |
| 1 November 2003 |
| Australia | 17–16 | Ireland |
| Try: Smith Pen: Flatley (3) Drop: Gregan | Try: O'Driscoll Con: O'Gara Pen: O'Gara (2) Drop: O'Driscoll |
| Docklands Stadium, Melbourne Attendance: 54,206 Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand) |
Quarter-final
| 8 November 2003 |
| Australia | 33–16 | Scotland |
| Try: Gregan Lyons Mortlock Con: Flatley (3) Pen: Flatley (4) | Try: Russell Con: Paterson Pen: Paterson (2) Drop: Paterson |
| Lang Park, Brisbane Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand) |
Semi-final
| November 2003 |
| Australia | 22–10 | New Zealand |
| Try: Mortlock 9' c Con: Flatley Pen: Flatley (5) | Try: Thorne 35' c Con: MacDonald Pen: MacDonald |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 82,444 Referee: Chris White (England) |
Final
| 22 November 2003 |
| Australia | 17–20 (a.e.t.) | England |
| Try: Tuqiri Pen: Elton Flatley (4) | Try: Robinson Pen: Wilkinson (4) Drop: Wilkinson |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 82,957 Referee: André Watson (South Africa) |
2007 France[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | B | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 215 | 41 | +174 | 4 | 20 | Qualified for the quarter-finals |
| 2 |  Fiji
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 136 | −22 | 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | Wales
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 168 | 105 | +63 | 4 | 12 | Eliminated, automatic qualification for RWC 2011 |
| 4 | Japan
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 64 | 210 | −146 | 1 | 3 | |
| 5 | Canada
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 51 | 120 | −69 | 0 | 2 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 8 September 2007 |
| Australia | 91–3 | Japan |
| Try: Elsom (3) Latham (2) Barnes (2) Mitchell Smith Ashley-Cooper Sharpe Freier Con: Mortlock (7) Giteau (3) Pen: Mortlock | Pen: Ono |
| Stade de Gerland, Lyon Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland) |
| 15 September 2007 |
| Australia | 32–20 | Wales |
| Try: Latham (2) Giteau Mortlock Con: Mortlock (2) Giteau Pen: Mortlock (2) Drop: Barnes | Try: J. Thomas S. Williams Con: Hook Pen: S. Jones Hook (2) |
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand) |
| 23 September 2007 |
| Australia | 55–12 | Fiji |
| Try: Mitchell (3) Giteau (2) Ashley-Cooper Hoiles Con: Giteau (4) Pen: Giteau (3) Drop: Barnes | Try: Neivua Ratuva Con: Bai |
| Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
| 29 September 2007 |
| Australia | 37–6 | Canada |
| Try: Mitchell (2) Baxter Freier Smith Latham Con: Shepherd (2) Pen: Huxley | Pen: Pritchard (2) |
| Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux Referee: Chris White (England) |
Quarter-final
| 6 October 2007 |
| Australia | 10–12 | England |
| Try: Tuqiri Con: Mortlock Pen: Mortlock | Pen: Wilkinson (4) |
| Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland) |
2011 New Zealand[edit]
Pool C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | T | B | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ireland
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 34 | +101 | 15 | 1 | 17 | Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2015 Rugby World Cup |
| 2 | Australia
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 173 | 48 | +125 | 25 | 3 | 15 | |
| 3 |  Italy
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 92 | 95 | −3 | 13 | 2 | 10 | Eliminated but qualified for 2015 Rugby World Cup |
| 4 | United States
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 122 | −84 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 5 |  Russia
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 57 | 196 | −139 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 11 September 2011 15:30 |
| Australia | 32–6 | Italy |
| Try: Alexander 50' m Ashley-Cooper 55' c O'Connor 58' c Ioane 66' c Con: O'Connor (3/4) Pen: Cooper (2/3) 19', 30' | Report | Pen: Mi. Bergamasco (2/3) 38', 40+' |
| North Harbour Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 25,731 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland) |
| 17 September 2011 20:30 |
| Australia | 6–15 | Ireland |
| Pen: O'Connor (2/4) 11', 23' | Report | Pen: Sexton (2/5) 17', 49' O'Gara (2/2) 62', 71' Drop: Sexton 19' |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 58,678 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) |
| 23 September 2011 20:30 |
| Australia | 67–5 | United States |
| Try: Horne 8' m Elsom 11' m Beale 31' c Fainga'a (2) 35' m, 71' m Mitchell 45'c McCabe 48' m Ashley-Cooper (3) 59' c, 64' c, 66' c Samo 78' c Con: Cooper (2/5) Barnes (4/5) | Report | Try: Gagiano 23' m |
| Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 33,824 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
| 1 October 2011 15:30 |
| Australia | 68–22 | Russia |
| Try: Barnes (2) 7' m, 79' c Mitchell (2) 9' c, 49' c McCalman 12' c Pocock (2) 15' c, 22' c Moore 36' c Ashley-Cooper 39' c Ma'afu 42' c Con: O'Connor (9/10) | Report | Try: Ostroushko 33' m Simplikevich 60' c Rachkov 68' c Con: Rachkov (2/2) Drop: Rachkov (1/1) 47' |
| Trafalgar Park, Nelson Attendance: 16,307 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) |
Quarter-final
| 9 October 2011 18:00 NZDT (UTC+13) |
| South Africa | 9–11 | Australia |
| Pen: Steyn (2/4) 39', 56' Drop: Steyn (1/1) 60' | Report | Try: Horwill 11' m Pen: O'Connor (2/2) 17', 72' |
| Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) |
Semi-final
| 16 October 2011 20:30 |
| New Zealand | 20–6 | Australia |
| Try: Nonu Pen: Weepu Drop: Cruden | Pen: O'Connor Drop: Cooper |
| Eden Park, Auckland Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa) |
Third place play-off
| 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' | Tracker | 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) |
2015 England[edit]
Pool A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | T | B | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 141 | 35 | +106 | 17 | 1 | 17 | Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2019 Rugby World Cup |
| 2 | Wales
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 111 | 62 | +49 | 11 | 1 | 13 | |
| 3 | England
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 133 | 75 | +58 | 16 | 3 | 11 | Eliminated but qualified for 2019 Rugby World Cup |
| 4 | Fiji
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 84 | 101 | −17 | 10 | 1 | 5 | |
| 5 |  Uruguay
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 226 | −196 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 23 September 2015 16:45 |
| Australia | 28–13 | Fiji |
| Try: Pocock (2) 26' c, 31' m Kepu 43' c Con: Foley (2/3) 28', 44' Pen: Foley (3/3) 10', 38', 70' | Report | Try: Volavola 60' c Con: Nadolo (1/1) 61' Pen: Nadolo (2/2) 21', 47' |
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 67,253 Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand) |
| 27 September 2015 12:00 |
| Australia | 65–3 | Uruguay |
| Try: McMahon (2) 7' m, 69' m Tomane 9' c Mumm 26' m Speight 31' c McCalman (2) 36' c, 61' c Mitchell (2) 47' m, 52' m To'omua 71' m Kuridrani 80' c Con: Cooper (5/11) 10', 32', 36', 62', 80' | Report | Pen: Berchesi (1/1) 24' |
| Villa Park, Birmingham Attendance: 39,605 Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France) |
| 3 October 2015 20:00 |
| England | 13–33 | Australia |
| Try: Watson 56' c Con: Farrell (1/1) 57' Pen: Farrell (2/2) 13', 65' | Report | Try: Foley (2) 20' c, 35' c Giteau 80' c Con: Foley (3/3) 22', 36', 80' Pen: Foley (4/4) 8', 50', 72', 76' |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 81,010 Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
| 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' |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 80,863 Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa) |
Quarter-final
| 18 October 2015 16:00 BST (UTC+01) |
| Australia | 35–34 | Scotland |
| Try: Ashley-Cooper 9' m Mitchell (2) 30' m, 43' c Hooper 40' m Kuridrani 64' c Con: Foley (2/5) 44', 65' Pen: Foley (2/2) 54', 80' | Report | Try: Horne 18' c Seymour 59' m Bennett 74' c Con: Laidlaw (2/3) 19', 75' Pen: Laidlaw (5/5) 14', 21', 34', 47', 69' |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 77,110 Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa) |
Semi-final
| 25 October 2015 16:00 GMT (UTC+00) |
| Argentina | 15–29 | Australia |
| Pen: Sánchez (5/5) 7', 24', 36', 45', 55' | Report | Try: Simmons 2' c Ashley-Cooper (3) 10' c, 32' m, 72' c Con: Foley (3/4) 3', 11', 73' Pen: Foley (1/2) 48' |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 80,025 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
Final
| 31 October 2015 16:00 GMT (UTC+00) |
| New Zealand | 34–17 | Australia |
| Try: Milner-Skudder 39' c Nonu 42' m Barrett 79' c Con: Carter (2/3) 40', 80' Pen: Carter (4/4) 8', 27', 36', 75' Drop: Carter 70' | Report | Try: Pocock 53' Kuridrani 64' c Con: Foley (2/2) 54', 65' Pen: Foley (1/1) 14' |
| Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 80,125 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
2019 Japan[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | T | B | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wales
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 136 | 69 | +67 | 17 | 3 | 19 | Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2023 Rugby World Cup |
| 2 | Australia
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 136 | 68 | +68 | 20 | 4 | 16 | |
| 3 | Fiji
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 110 | 108 | +2 | 17 | 3 | 7 | Eliminated but qualified for 2023 Rugby World Cup |
| 4 |  Georgia
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 65 | 122 | −57 | 9 | 1 | 5 | |
| 5 | Uruguay
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 140 | −80 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
Source: [citation needed]
| 21 September 2019 13:45 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Australia | 39–21 | Fiji |
| Try: Hooper 18' c Hodge 36' m Latu (2) 57' m, 62' m Kerevi 69' c Koroibete 73' c Con: Lealiifano (1/2) 19' To'omua (2/3) 70', 74' Pen: Hodge (1/1) 51' | Report | Try: Yato 9' m Nayacalevu 44' c Con: Volavola (1/2) 46' Pen: Volavola (3/3) 5', 23', 31' |
| Sapporo Dome, Sapporo Attendance: 36,482 Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) |
| 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' |
| Ajinomoto Stadium, Chōfu Attendance: 47,885 Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
| 5 October 2019 14:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Australia | 45–10 | Uruguay |
| Try: Haylett-Petty (2) 6' c, 68' m Petaia 24' c Kuridrani (2) 31' m, 46' c Genia 53' c Slipper 61' c Con: Lealiifano (5/7) 7', 25', 48', 55', 63' | Report | Try: Diana 79' c Con: Berchesi (1/1) 79' Pen: Berchesi (1/1) 13' |
| Oita Stadium, Ōita Attendance: 33,781 Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France) |
| 11 October 2019 19:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Australia | 27–8 | Georgia |
| Try: White 23' c Koroibete 60' c Dempsey 75' m Genia 79' m Con: To'omua (2/4) 24', 61' Pen: To'omua (1/1) 37' | Report | Try: Todua 70' m Pen: Matiashvili (1/1) 28' |
| Shizuoka Stadium, Fukuroi Attendance: 39,802 Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France) |
Quarter-final
| 19 October 2019 16:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| England | 40–16 | Australia |
| Try: May (2) 18' c, 21' c Sinckler 46' c Watson 76' c Con: Farrell (4/4) 19', 23', 47', 77' Pen: Farrell (4/4) 30', 51', 66', 73' | Report | Try: Koroibete 43' c Con: Lealiifano (1/1) 44' Pen: Lealiifano (3/3) 12', 26', 41' |
| Ōita Stadium, Ōita Attendance: 36,954 Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France) |
Hosting[edit]
1987[edit]
Australia hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987 along with New Zealand. Two stadiums in Australia were used.
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Ballymore Stadium | 24,000 |
| Sydney | Concord Oval | 20,000 |
Most of the pool games were in New Zealand, but the semi-finals, and one of the quarter-finals, were played in Australia.
2003[edit]
Australia won the right to host the World Cup in 2003 without the involvement of New Zealand after a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World Cup Limited. The overall stadium capacity was reduced from the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales.
The Adelaide Oval underwent a A$20 million redevelopment for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, financed entirely by the South Australian Cricket Association, with two new grandstands built adjacent to the Victor Richardson Gates. Lang Park in Brisbane was a new venue designed specifically for rugby, built at a cost of A$280 million, and was opened just before the start of the 2003 World Cup. The Central Coast Stadium was also a newly built venue, and opened in February 2000 at a cost of A$30 million.
The Sydney Football Stadium was one of two venues in Sydney that were used for football during the 2000 Olympic Games. The other venue in Sydney was the Stadium Australia which was the centrepiece of the 2000 Olympic Games. Also known as Stadium Australia, Telstra Stadium was built at a cost of over A$600 million and was the biggest stadium used in the 2003 World Cup. The only stadium with a retractable roof used was the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne.
| Stadium | Games | City | State | Capacity | Highest attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium Australia | 7 | Sydney | New South Wales | 83,500 | 82,957 (Final: Australia vs England) |
| Sydney Football Stadium | 5 | Sydney | New South Wales | 41,159 | 37,137 (Scotland vs. Fiji) |
| Central Coast Stadium | 3 | Gosford | New South Wales | 20,119 | 19,653 (Japan vs. United States) |
| Wollongong Showground | 2 | Wollongong | New South Wales | 18,484 | 17,833 (France vs. United States) |
| Lang Park | 9 | Brisbane | Queensland | 52,500 | 48,778 (Australia vs. Romania) |
| Willows Sports Complex | 3 | Townsville | Queensland | 24,843 | 21,309 (France vs. Japan) |
| Docklands Stadium | 7 | Melbourne | Victoria | 53,371 | 54,206 (Australia vs. Ireland) |
| Subiaco Oval | 5 | Perth | Western Australia | 42,922 | 38,834 (South Africa vs. England) |
| Canberra Stadium | 4 | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | 24,647 | 22,641 (Italy vs. Wales) |
| Adelaide Oval | 2 | Adelaide | South Australia | 33,597 | 33,000 (Australia vs. Namibia) |
| York Park | 1 | Launceston | Tasmania | 19,891 | 15,457 (Namibia vs. Romania) |
Australia intended to bid for the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups, but withdrew from the bidding. The bids were awarded to England and Japan respectively.
2027[edit]
Australia won their bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup on 12 May 2022. The tournament will take place between 10 September and 27 October, 2027.
Overall record[edit]
| Opponent | Played | Win | Draw | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Canada
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| England
|
7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 43% |
| Fiji
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% |
| France
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
| Georgia
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Ireland
|
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 80% |
| Italy
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Japan
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Namibia
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| New Zealand
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50% |
 Portugal
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Romania
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Russia
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Samoa
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Scotland
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| South Africa
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 67% |
| United States
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Uruguay
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Wales
|
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 71% |
| Overall | 57 | 44 | 0 | 13 | 79% |
Team records[edit]
Most points in a tournament
- 345 – 2003
- 225 – 2007
- 222 – 2015
- 221 – 1999
- 211 – 2011
Most points in a game
- 142 – vs
Namibia, 2003 - 91 – vs
Japan, 2007 - 90 – vs
Romania, 2003 - 68 – vs
Russia, 2011 - 67 – vs
United States, 2011 - 66 – vs Namibia, 2015
- 57 – vs Romania, 1999
- 55 – vs United States, 1999
- 55 – vs
Fiji, 2007
Individual records[edit]
Most World Cup matches
- 21 – James Slipper (2011, 2015, 2019, 2023)
- 20 – George Gregan (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007)
- 19 – Adam Ashley-Cooper (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019)
Most points overall
- 195 – Michael Lynagh (1987, 1991, 1995)
- 125 – Matt Burke (1995, 1999)
- 100 – Elton Flatley (2003)
- 85 – Bernard Foley (2015, 2019)
- 70 – Drew Mitchell (2007, 2011, 2015)
- 65 – Matt Giteau (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015)
- 60 – Adam Ashley-Cooper (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019)
Most individual points in a game
- 42 – Mat Rogers vs Namibia, 2003
- 30 – Elton Flatley vs Romania, 2003
- 28 – Bernard Foley vs
England, 2015 - 27 – Matt Giteau vs Fiji, 2007
- 25 – Matt Burke vs
France, 1999 - 25 – Chris Latham vs Namibia, 2003
- 25 – Ben Donaldson vs
Georgia, 2023
Most tries overall
- 14 – Drew Mitchell (2007, 2011, 2015)
- 12 – Adam Ashley-Cooper (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019)
- 11 – Chris Latham (1999, 2003, 2007)
- 10 – David Campese (1987, 1991, 1995)
- 8 – Matt Giteau (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015)
- 7 – Joe Roff (1995, 1999)
Most tries in a game
- 5 – Chris Latham vs Namibia, 2003
- 3 – Toutai Kefu vs Romania, 1999
- 3 – Mat Rogers vs Romania, 2003
- 3 – Lote Tuqiri vs Namibia, 2003
- 3 – Matt Giteau vs Namibia, 2003
- 3 – Rocky Elsom vs Japan, 2003
- 3 – Drew Mitchell vs Fiji, 2007
- 3 – Adam Ashley-Cooper vs United States, 2011
- 3 – Adam Ashley-Cooper vs
Argentina, 2015
Most penalty goals overall
- 33 – Michael Lynagh (1987, 1991, 1995)
- 21 – Elton Flatley (1999, 2003)
- 19 – Matt Burke (1995, 1999)
- 17 – Bernard Foley (2015, 2019)
- 7 – James O'Connor (2011)
- 7 – Ben Donaldson (2023)
Most penalty goals in a game
- 8 – Matt Burke vs
South Africa, 1999 - 7 – Matt Burke vs France, 1999
- 5 – Michael Lynagh vs England, 1995
- 5 – Elton Flatley vs
New Zealand, 2003
Most drop goals
- 3 – Berrick Barnes (2007, 2011)
- 2 – Michael Lynagh (1987, 1991, 1995)
- 1 – George Gregan (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007)
- 1 – Stephen Larkham (1999, 2003, 2007)
- 1 – Quade Cooper (2011)
Portrayal on screen[edit]
Australia can be seen playing South Africa in the feature film Invictus based on the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
References[edit]
- Davies, Gerald (2004). The History of the Rugby World Cup. Sanctuary Publishing. ISBN 1-86074-602-0.
- Farr-Jones, Nick (2003). Story of the Rugby World Cup. Australian Postal Corporation. ISBN 0-642-36811-2.
- ^ Australia vs England 1987 ESPN Scrum
- ^ Australia vs England 1987 World Rugby
- ^ Australia vs United States RWC 1987 Archived 15 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine ESPN Scrum
- ^ Australia vs United States RWC 1987 World Rugby
- ^ "Australia v Japan". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ worldrugby.org. "World Rugby | world.rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 4 April 2019.