Rugby Union World Cup 1999

Rugby Union World Cup 1999
host	Wales
World Champion 2nd place 3rd place	Australia France South Africa
Duration	October 1 - November 6, 1999
Nations	65 (final tournament: 20)
Games	41
spectator	1,750,000 (42,683 per game)
World Champion	Australia
Top scorer	Gonzalo Quesada (102)
Most attempts	Jonah Lomu (8)

The 4th Rugby Union World Cup took place from October 1 to November 6, 1999 ; The host was Wales . There were 20 national teams in 41 games against each other. Australia became world champion, beating France in the final ; it was the second world title for the Australians after 1991 .

Venues

The heart of the Welsh candidacy was the new £ 126 million Millennium Stadium in Cardiff . Only nine of the 41 games were played in the nominal host country. The Welsh federation reached an agreement with the other federations of the Five Nations , so that games also took place in England , France , Ireland and Scotland .

Millennium Stadium

city	Stadion	country	capacity
Saint-Denis	Stade de France	France	80,000
London	Twickenham Stadium	England	75,000
Cardiff	Millennium Stadium	Wales	74,500
Edinburgh	Murrayfield Stadium	Scotland	67,500
Glasgow	Hampden Park	Scotland	52,500
Dublin	Lansdowne Road	Ireland	49,250
Lens	Stade Félix-Bollaert	France	41,800
Bordeaux	Parc Lescure	France	34,327
Toulouse	Municipal Stadium	France	37,000
Huddersfield	Alfred McAlpine Stadium	England	24,500
Bristol	Ashton Gate	England	21,500
Beziers	Stade de la Méditerranée	France	18,000
Leicester	Welford Road Stadium	England	16,500
Wrexham	Racecourse Ground	Wales	15,500
limerick	Thomond Park	Ireland	13,500
Belfast	Ravenhill Stadium	Ireland	12,500
Llanelli	Stradey Park	Wales	10,800
Galashiels	Netherdale	Scotland	06,000

qualification

→ Main article : Rugby Union World Cup 1999 / Qualification

Twenty teams had qualified for the 1999 World Cup. Of these, only four were automatically qualified, namely the top three at the 1995 World Cup and host Wales (each marked with *). 65 teams, more than ever before, played qualifying games for the remaining 16 starting places.

Africa  Namibia  South Africa * America  Argentina  Canada  United States  Uruguay Oceania  Australia  Fiji  New Zealand *  Samoa  Tonga

Asia  Japan Europe  England  France *  Ireland  Italy  Romania  Scotland  Spain  Wales *

Preliminary round

There were two points for a win, one point for a draw and no point for a loss. The group winners qualified directly for the quarter-finals. The runners-up and the best third in the group played for the three other quarter-finals in a round of hope.

Direct qualification for quarter finals

Participation in the round of hope

Group 1

	country	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Table points
1.	South Africa	3	3	0	0	132: 35	+ 97	6th
2.	Scotland	3	2	0	1	120: 58	+ 62	4th
3.	Uruguay	3	1	0	2	42:97	- 55	2
4th	Spain	3	0	0	3	18: 122	- 104	0

October 2, 1999	Uruguay	27:15	Spain	Netherdale , Galashiels

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October 3, 1999	Scotland	29:46	South Africa	Murrayfield Stadium , Edinburgh

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October 8, 1999	Scotland	43: 12	Uruguay	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

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October 10, 1999	South Africa	47: 3	Spain	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

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October 15, 1999	South Africa	39: 3	Uruguay	Hampden Park , Glasgow

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October 16, 1999	Scotland	48-0	Spain	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

Group 2

	country	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Table points
1.	New Zealand	3	3	0	0	176: 28	+ 148	6th
2.	England	3	2	0	1	184: 47	+ 137	4th
3.	Tonga	3	1	0	2	47: 171	- 124	2
4th	Italy	3	0	0	3	35: 196	- 161	0

October 2, 1999	England	67: 7	Italy	Twickenham Stadium , London

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October 3, 1999	New Zealand	45: 9	Tonga	Ashton Gate , Bristol

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October 9, 1999	England	16:30	New Zealand	Twickenham Stadium, London

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October 10, 1999	Italy	25:28	Tonga	Welford Road Stadium , Leicester

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October 14, 1999	New Zealand	101: 3	Italy	McAlpine Stadium , Huddersfield

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October 15, 1999	England	101: 10	Tonga	Twickenham Stadium, London

Group 3

	country	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Table points
1.	France	3	3	0	0	108: 52	+ 56	6th
2.	Fiji	3	2	0	1	124: 68	+ 56	4th
3.	Canada	3	1	0	2	114: 82	+ 32	2
4th	Namibia	3	0	0	3	42: 186	- 144	0

October 1, 1999	Fiji	67: 18	Namibia	Stade de la Méditerranée , Béziers

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October 2, 1999	France	33:20	Canada	Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers

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October 8, 1999	France	47: 13	Namibia	Parc Lescure , Bordeaux

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October 9, 1999	Fiji	38:22	Canada	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux

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October 14, 1999	Canada	72: 11	Namibia	Municipal Stadium , Toulouse

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October 15, 1999	France	28:19	Fiji	Municipal Stadium, Toulouse

Group 4

	country	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Table points
1.	Wales	3	2	0	1	118: 71	+ 47	4th
2.	Samoa	3	2	0	1	97:72	+ 25	4th
3.	Argentina	3	2	0	1	83:51	+ 32	4th
4th	Japan	3	0	0	3	36: 140	- 104	0

October 1, 1999	Wales	23:18	Argentina	Millennium Stadium , Cardiff

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October 3, 1999	Samoa	43: 9	Japan	Racecourse Ground , Wrexham

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October 9, 1999	Wales	64:15	Japan	Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

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October 10, 1999	Argentina	32:16	Samoa	Stradey Park , Llanelli

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October 14, 1999	Wales	31: 38	Samoa	Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

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October 16, 1991	Argentina	33: 12	Japan	Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Group 5

	country	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Table points
1.	Australia	3	3	0	0	135: 31	+ 104	6th
2.	Ireland	3	2	0	1	100: 45	+ 55	4th
3.	Romania	3	1	0	2	50: 126	- 76	2
4th	United States	3	0	0	3	52: 135	- 83	0

October 2, 1999	Ireland	53: 8	United States	Lansdowne Road , Dublin

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October 3, 1999	Australia	57: 9	Romania	Ravenhill Stadium , Belfast

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October 9, 1999	United States	25:27	Romania	Lansdowne Road, Dublin

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October 10, 1999	Ireland	3:23	Australia	Lansdowne Road, Dublin

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October 14, 1999	Australia	55: 19	United States	Thomond Park , Limerick

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October 15, 1991	Ireland	44:14	Romania	Lansdowne Road, Dublin

Final round

	Quarter finals				Semifinals				final
	South Africa	44
	England	21st
					South Africa	21st
					Australia	27
	Australia	24
	Wales	9
									Australia	35
									France	12
	New Zealand	30th
	Scotland	18th
					New Zealand	31			Game for third place
					France	43
	France	47							South Africa	22nd
	Argentina	26th							New Zealand	18th

Round of hope

October 20, 1999	England	45:24	Fiji	Twickenham Stadium , London

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October 20, 1999	Scotland	35:20	Samoa	Murrayfield Stadium , Edinburgh

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October 20, 1999	Ireland	24:28	Argentina	Stade Félix-Bollaert , Lens

Quarter finals

October 23, 1999	Wales	9:24	Australia	Millennium Stadium , Cardiff Referee: Colin Hawke (NZL)
	Penalty Kicks: Jenkins (3)		Attempts: Gregan (2) Tune increases: Burke (3) Penalty kicks: Burke (1)

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October 24, 1999	South Africa	44:21	England	Stade de France , Saint-Denis Referee: Jim Fleming (SCO)
	Attempts: van der Westhuizen Rossouw Elevations: de Beer (2) Penalty kicks: de Beer (5) Dropgoals: de Beer (5)		Penalty Kicks: Grayson (6) Wilkinson (1)

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October 24, 1999	New Zealand	30:18	Scotland	Murrayfield Stadium , Edinburgh Referee: Ed Morrison (ENG)
	Attempts: Umaga (2) Wilson Lomu Increases: More (2) Penalty Kicks: More (2)		Attempts: Murray Pountney Raids: Logan (1) Penalty kicks: Logan (1) Dropgoals: Townsend (1)

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October 24, 1999	France	47: 26	Argentina	Lansdowne Road , Dublin Referee: Derek Bevan (WAL)
	Attempts: Garbajosa (2) Bernat-Salles Ntamack Elevations: Lamaison (5) Penalty kicks : Lamaison (4)		Attempts: Pichot Arbizu Elevations: Quesada (2) Penalty Kicks : Quesada (3) Contepomi (1)

Semifinals

October 30, 1999	South Africa	21:27 a.m.	Australia	Twickenham Stadium , London Referee: Derek Bevan (WAL)
	Elevations: de Beer (6) Penalty kicks: de Beer (1)		Penalty Kicks: Burke (8) Dropgoals: Larkham (1)

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October 31, 1999	New Zealand	31:43	France	Twickenham Stadium, London Referee: Jim Fleming (SCO)
	Attempts: Lomu (2) Wilson Elevations: Mehrthens (2) Penalties: Mehrthens (4)		Tries : Lamaison Dominici Dourthe Bernat-Salles Raids : Lamaison (4) Penalty Kicks: Lamaison (3) Dropgoals: Lamaison (2)

3rd place match

November 4, 1999	South Africa	22:18	New Zealand	Millennium Stadium , Cardiff Referee: Peter Marshall (AUS)
	Attempts: Paulse raises: Honiball (1) Penalty kicks : Honiball (3) Dropgoals: Montgomery (2)		Penalty kicks: Mehrtens (6)

final

November 6, 1999	Australia	35:12	France	Millenium Stadium, Cardiff Referee: André Watson (RSA)
	Attempts: Tune Finegan Raise: Burke (2) Penalty Kicks: Burke (7)		Penalty Kicks: Lamaison (4)

World Champion 1999

Australia
(second title)

statistics

Teams

team	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Points	tries	elevated Ungen	criminal kicks	Drop goals
New Zealand	6th	4th	0	2	255	29	22nd	22nd	0
England	5	3	0	2	250	26th	21st	26th	0
Australia	6th	6th	0	0	221	24	19th	20th	1
South Africa	6th	5	0	1	219	21st	18th	18th	8th
France	6th	5	0	1	210	22nd	17th	20th	2
Scotland	5	3	0	2	173	20th	14th	12	3
Fiji	4th	2	0	2	148	17th	15th	10	1
Argentina	5	3	0	2	137	6th	4th	32	1
Wales	4th	2	0	2	127	14th	12	11	0
Ireland	4th	2	0	2	124	12	11	12	2
Samoa	4th	2	0	2	117	13	11	10	0
Canada	3	1	0	2	114	12	12	9	1
United States	3	0	0	3	52	5	3	7th	0
Romania	3	1	0	2	50	5	2	7th	0
Tonga	3	1	0	2	47	4th	3	2	1
Namibia	3	0	0	3	42	4th	2	6th	0
Uruguay	3	1	0	2	42	4th	2	6th	0
Japan	3	0	0	3	36	2	1	8th	0
Italy	3	0	0	3	35	2	2	7th	0
Spain	3	0	0	3	18th	0	0	6th	0
total	41				2417	242	191	255	20th

Most points scored

rank	player	team	position	Games	tries	elevated Ungen	criminal kicks	Drop goals	Total
1.	Gonzalo Quesada	Argentina	Connection half	5	0	3	31	1	102
2.	Matt Burke	Australia	Goalkeeper	6th	2	17th	19th	0	101
3.	Jannie de Beer	South Africa	Connection half	5	0	17th	15th	6th	97
4th	Andrew Mehrtens	New Zealand	Connection half	5	0	11	19th	0	79
5.	Jonny Wilkinson	England	Connection half	4th	1	8th	16	0	69
6th	Christophe Lamaison	France	Connection half	6th	1	9	12	2	65
7th	Silao Leaegailesolo	Samoa	Inner three quarters	4th	2	11	10	0	62
8th.	Neil Jenkins	Wales	Connection half	4th	0	12	11	0	57
9.	Paul Grayson	England	Connection half	4th	0	12	10	0	54
10.	Kenny Logan	Scotland	Outer three-quarters	4th	0	9	11	0	51

Most attempts made

rank	player	team	position	Games	tries
1.	Jonah Lomu	New Zealand	Outer three-quarters	6th	8th
2.	Jeff Wilson	New Zealand	Goalkeeper	6th	6th
3.	Viliame Satala	Fiji	Inner three quarters	4th	4th
	Keith Wood	Ireland	hooker	4th	4th
	Philippe Bernat-Salles	France	Outer three-quarters	5	4th
	Dan Luger	England	Outer three-quarters	5	4th
7th	Fero Lasagavibau	Fiji	Outer three-quarters	3	3
	Morgan Williams	Canada	Half of the crowd	3	3
	Toutai kefu	Australia	Number eight	4th	3
	Martin Leslie	Scotland	Winger	4th	3
	Brian Lima	Samoa	Outer three-quarters	4th	3
	Mark Taylor	Wales	Inner three quarters	4th	3
	Phil Greening	England	hooker	5	3
	Cameron Murray	Scotland	Outer three-quarters	5	3
	Ben Tune	Australia	Outer three-quarters	5	3
	Ugo Mola	France	Outer three-quarters	6th	3
	Émile Ntamack	France	Outer three-quarters	6th	3
	Joost van der Westhuizen	South Africa	Half of the crowd	6th	3

Web links

• Review of worldcupweb.com
• Review on saweb.co.za