The 1999 Rugby World Cup (Welsh: Cwpan Rygbi'r Byd 1999), was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship, the first World Cup to be held in the sport's professional era.[1]

1999 Rugby World Cup
Welsh: Cwpan Rygbi'r Byd 1999
Tournament details
Host nation Wales
Dates1 October – 6 November 1999
No. of nations20
Final positions
Champions  Australia (2nd title)
Runner-up  France
Third place  South Africa
Tournament statistics
Matches played41
Attendance1,562,427 (38,108 per match)
Top scorer(s)Argentina Gonzalo Quesada (102)
Most triesNew Zealand Jonah Lomu (8)
1995
2003

Four automatic qualification places were available for the 1999 tournament; Wales qualified automatically as hosts, and the other three places went to the top three teams from the previous World Cup in 1995: champions South Africa, runners-up New Zealand and third-placed France. 63 nations took part in the qualification process, with 14 nations progressing directly to the tournament. the remaining two qualifiers were determined by a repechage, introduced for the first time in the tournaments history. This was also the first World Cup to feature 20 teams (expanded from 16).

The 20 teams were divided into five pools of four. The winner of each pool progressed to the last eight automatically, with the remaining quarter-finalists determined by three play-off matches, played between the runners-up from each pool and the best third-placed team. The tournament began with the opening ceremony in the newly constructed Millennium Stadium, with Wales beating Argentina 23–18, and Colin Charvis scoring the first try of the tournament. Australia won the tournament, becoming the first nation to do so twice and also to date the only team ever to win after having to qualify for the tournament, with a 35–12 triumph over France, who were unable to repeat their semi-final victory over pre-tournament favourites New Zealand.[2][3] The overall attendance for the tournament was 1.75 million.[4]

Qualifying

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The following 20 teams, shown by region, qualified for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Of the 20 teams, only four of those places were automatically allocated and did not have to play any qualification matches. These went to the champions, runners-up and the third-placed nations at the 1995 and the tournament host, Wales. A record 65 nations from five continents were therefore involved in the qualification process designed to fill the remaining 16 spots.

Africa Americas Europe Oceania/Asia

Venues

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Wales won the right to host the World Cup in 1999. The centrepiece venue for the tournament was the Millennium Stadium, built on the site of the old National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park at a cost of £126 million from Lottery money and private investment. Other venues in Wales were the Racecourse Ground and Stradey Park. An agreement was reached so that the other unions in the Five Nations Championship (England, France, Ireland and Scotland) also hosted matches.

Venues in England included Twickenham Stadium and Welford Road Stadium, rugby union venues, as well as Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol, which normally hosts football, and the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield, which normally hosts football and rugby league. Scottish venues included Murrayfield Stadium, the home of the Scottish Rugby Union; Hampden Park, the home of the Scottish Football Association; and the smallest venue in the 1999 tournament, Netherdale, in Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders. Venues in Ireland included Lansdowne Road, the traditional home of the Irish Rugby Football Union; Ravenhill Stadium; and Thomond Park. France used five venues, the most of any nation, including the French national stadium, Stade de France, which hosted the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and would later go on to host the finals of both the 2007 and 2023 editions of the tournament.

  Cardiff   Wrexham   Llanelli   Saint-Denis
Millennium Stadium Racecourse Ground Stradey Park Stade de France
Capacity: 74,500 Capacity: 15,500 Capacity: 10,800 Capacity: 80,000
       
  London   Edinburgh   Glasgow   Dublin
Twickenham Stadium Murrayfield Stadium Hampden Park Lansdowne Road
Capacity: 75,000 Capacity: 67,500 Capacity: 52,500 Capacity: 49,250
       
  Lens   Bordeaux   Toulouse   Huddersfield
Stade Félix Bollaert Parc Lescure Stadium de Toulouse McAlpine Stadium
Capacity: 41,800 Capacity: 38,327 Capacity: 37,000 Capacity: 24,500
       
  Bristol   Béziers   Leicester   Limerick
Ashton Gate Stadium Stade de la Méditerranée Welford Road Stadium Thomond Park
Capacity: 21,500 Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 16,500 Capacity: 13,500
       
  Belfast   Galashiels
Ravenhill Netherdale
Capacity: 12,500 Capacity: 6,000
   

Pools and format

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Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D Pool E

  South Africa
  Scotland
  Spain
  Uruguay

  New Zealand
  England
  Italy
  Tonga

  France
  Fiji
  Canada
  Namibia

  Wales
  Argentina
  Samoa
  Japan

  Australia
  Ireland
  United States
  Romania

With the expansion of the Rugby World Cup from 16 to 20 teams an unusual and complex format was used with the teams split into five pools of four teams with each team playing each other in their pool once.

  • Pool A was played in Scotland
  • Pool B was played in England
  • Pool C was played in France
  • Pool D was played in the principal host nation Wales
  • Pool E was played in Ireland

Points system

The points system that was used in the pool stage was unchanged from both 1991 and 1995:

  • 3 points for a win
  • 2 points for a draw
  • 1 point for playing

The five pool winners qualified automatically to the quarter-finals. The five pool runners-up and the best third-placed side qualified for the quarter-final play-offs.

Knock-out stage

The five pool runners-up and the best third-placed team from the pool stage (which was Argentina) contested the quarter-final play-offs in three one-off matches that decided the remaining three places in the quarter-finals, with the losers being eliminated. The unusual format meant that two pool winners in the quarter-finals would have to play each other. From the quarter-final stage it became a simple knockout tournament. The semi-final losers played off for third place. The draw and format for the knock-out stage was set as follows.

Quarter-final play-offs draw

  • Match H: Pool B runner-up v Pool C runner-up
  • Match G: Pool A runner-up v Pool D runner-up
  • Match F: Pool E runner-up v Best third-placed team

Quarter-finals draw

  • Match M: Pool D winners v Pool E winners
  • Match J: Pool A winners v Play-off H winners
  • Match L: Pool C winners v Play-off F winners
  • Match K: Pool B winners v Play-off G winners

Semi-finals draw

  • Match J winners v Match M winners
  • Match L winners v Match K winners

A total of 41 matches (30 pool stage and 11 knock-out) were played throughout the tournament over 35 days from 1 October 1999 to 6 November 1999.

Squads

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Referees

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Pool stage

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The tournament began on 1 October 1999 in the newly built Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, with Wales beating Argentina in a hard-fought game 23–18 to get their campaign off to a positive start. The Pool stage of the tournament played out as was widely expected with the Tri Nations teams of New Zealand (who inflected a massive 101–3 win against Italy at the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield), South Africa and Australia all winning their pools easily without losing a single game. For the then Five Nations Championship teams who all played their pool matches in their own countries it was a case of mixed fortunes with France winning their pool without losing a game. Host Wales also won their pool, though they suffered 31–38 defeat at the hands of Samoa in front of a home crowd at the Millennium Stadium. However, as expected England, Ireland and Scotland all finished second in their pools and were forced to try to qualify for the quarter-finals via the play-offs alongside fellow runners-up Samoa and Fiji, and Argentina as the best third placed side from all five pools, having been the only third-placed side to win two matches (against Samoa and Japan). Indeed, Argentina had finished level with Wales and Samoa on 7 points each in the group stages, and could only be separated by "total points scored": playing and winning their final match against Japan, they had the chance to overtake either of Samoa or Wales, but were 14 points short of overtaking Samoa's total score and a further 18 points short of Wales.

Qualified for quarter-finals
Qualified for quarter-final play-offs

Pool A

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Team P W D L PF PA Pts
  South Africa 3 3 0 0 132 35 9
  Scotland 3 2 0 1 120 58 7
  Uruguay 3 1 0 2 42 97 5
  Spain 3 0 0 3 18 122 3
2 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
Spain  15–27  Uruguay
Pen: Kovalenco (5) 7', 40', 48', 50', 68'ReportTry: Ormaechea 23' c
Penalty try 64' c
Cardoso 77' m
Menchaca 80' m
Con: Aguirre
Sciarra
Pen: Aguirre 15'
Netherdale, Galashiels
Attendance: 3,761
Referee: Chris White (England)

3 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
Scotland  29–46  South Africa
Try: M. Leslie
Tait
Con: Logan (2)
Pen: Logan (4)
Drop: Townsend
Try: Le Roux
Kayser
Van der Westhuizen
Fleck
A. Venter
B. Venter
Con: De Beer (5)
Pen: De Beer (2)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 57,612
Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)

8 October 1999
16:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
Scotland  43–12  Uruguay
Try: Russell
Armstrong
Metcalfe
M. Leslie
Simpson
Townsend
Con: Logan (5)
Pen: Logan
Pen: Aguirre (3)
Sciarra
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 9,463
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

10 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
South Africa  47–3  Spain
Try: Vos (2)
Leonard
Penalty try
Muller
Skinstad
Swanepoel
Con: De Beer (6)
Pen: Velazco Querol
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 4,769
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

15 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
South Africa  39–3  Uruguay
Try: Van den Berg (2)
Van der Westhuizen
Kayser
Fleck
Con: De Beer (4)
Pen: De Beer (2)
Pen: Aguirre
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

16 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
Scotland  48–0  Spain
Try: Mather (2)
McLaren
Longstaff
Hodge
C. Murray
Penalty try
Con: Hodge (5)
Pen: Hodge
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 17,593
Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

Pool B

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Team P W D L PF PA Pts
  New Zealand 3 3 0 0 176 28 9
  England 3 2 0 1 184 47 7
  Tonga 3 1 0 2 47 171 5
  Italy 3 0 0 3 35 196 3
2 October 1999
17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
England  67–7  Italy
Try: Wilkinson
Hill
Luger
Back
De Glanville
Corry
Dawson
Perry
Con: Wilkinson (6)
Pen: Wilkinson (5)
Try: Dominguez
Con: Dominguez
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,470
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

3 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
New Zealand  45–9  Tonga
Try: Lomu (2)
Kelleher
Maxwell
Kronfeld
Con: Mehrtens (4)
Pen: Mehrtens (4)
Pen: Taumalolo (3)
Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

9 October 1999
16:30 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
England  16–30  New Zealand
Try: De Glanville
Con: Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson (3)
Try: Kelleher
Wilson
Lomu
Con: Mehrtens (3)
Pen: Mehrtens (3)
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,000
Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

10 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
Italy  25–28  Tonga
Try: Moscardi
Con: Dominguez
Pen: Dominguez (6)
Try: Taufahema
Fatani
Tuipulotu
Con: Tuipulotu (2)
Pen: Tuipulotu (2)
Drop: Tuipulotu
Welford Road Stadium, Leicester
Attendance: 10,244
Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

14 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
New Zealand  101–3  Italy
Try: Wilson (3)
Osborne (2)
Lomu (2)
Randell
Brown
Cullen
Hammett
Gibson
Robertson
Mika
Con: Brown (11)
Pen: Brown (3)
Pen: Dominguez
McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield
Attendance: 24,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

15 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
England  101–10  Tonga
Try: Guscott (2)
Greening (2)
Luger (2)
Healey (2)
Greenwood (2)
Dawson
Perry
Hill
Con: Grayson (12)
Pen: Grayson (4)
Try: Tiueti
Con: Tuipulotu
Pen: Tuipulotu
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,485
Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

Pool C

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Team P W D L PF PA Pts
  France 3 3 0 0 108 52 9
  Fiji 3 2 0 1 124 68 7
  Canada 3 1 0 2 114 82 5
  Namibia 3 0 0 3 42 186 3

2 October 1999
14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
France  33–20  Canada
Try: Ntamack
Glas
Castaignède
Magne
Con: Dourthe (2)
Pen: Dourthe (3)
Try: Williams (2)
Con: Ross
Rees
Pen: Ross
Rees
Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Brian Campsall (England)

8 October 1999
21:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
France  47–13  Namibia
Try: Mola (3)
Ntamack
Mignoni
Bernat-Salles
Con: Dourthe (4)
Pen: Dourthe (3)
Try: Samuelson
Con: Van Dyk
Pen: Van Dyk (2)
Parc Lescure, Bordeaux
Attendance: 34,030
Referee: Chris White (England)

9 October 1999
13:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
Fiji  38–22  Canada
Try: Satala (2)
Vunibaka
Lasagavibau
Con: Little (3)
Pen: Little (3)
Drop: Little
Try: James
Con: Rees
Pen: Rees (4)
Drop: Rees
Parc Lescure, Bordeaux
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

14 October 1999
20:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
Canada  72–11  Namibia
Try: Stanley (2)
Snow (2)
Nichols (2)
Charron
Ross
Williams
Con: Rees (9)
Pen: Rees (3)
Try: Hough
Pen: Van Dyk (2)
Stade de Toulouse
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)

16 October 1999
14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
France  28–19  Fiji
Try: Juillet
Dominici
Penalty try
Con: Dourthe (2)
Pen: Dourthe (2)
Lamaison
Try: Uluinayau
Con: Little
Pen: Little (4)
Stade de Toulouse
Attendance: 36,000
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

Pool D

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Team P W D L PF PA Pts
  Wales 3 2 0 1 118 71 7
  Samoa 3 2 0 1 97 72 7
  Argentina 3 2 0 1 83 51 7
  Japan 3 0 0 3 36 140 3
1 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Wales  23–18  Argentina
Try: Charvis
Taylor
Con: Jenkins (2)
Pen: Jenkins (3)
Pen: Quesada (6)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

3 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Samoa  43–9  Japan
Try: Lima (2)
So'oalo (2)
Leaega
Con: Leaega (3)
Pen: Leaega (4)
Pen: Hirose (3)
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)


10 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Argentina  32–16  Samoa
Try: Allub
Pen: Quesada (8)
Drop: Quesada
Try: Paramore
Con: Leaega
Pen: Leaega (3)
Stradey Park, Llanelli
Attendance: 11,000
Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

14 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Wales  31–38  Samoa
Try: Thomas
Penalty try (2)
Con: Jenkins (2)
Pen: Jenkins (4)
Try: Bachop (2)
Falaniko
Lam
Leaega
Con: Leaega (5)
Pen: Leaega
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

16 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Argentina  33–12  Japan
Try: Albanese
Pichot
Con: Contepomi
Pen: Quesada (7)
Pen: Hirose (4)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 36,000
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

Pool E

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Team P W D L PF PA Pts
  Australia 3 3 0 0 135 31 9
  Ireland 3 2 0 1 100 45 7
  Romania 3 1 0 2 50 126 5
  United States 3 0 0 3 52 135 3
2 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Ireland  53–8  United States
Try: Bishop
Wood (4)
O'Driscoll
Penalty try
Con: Humphreys (4)
Elwood (2)
Pen: Humphreys (2)
ReportTry: Dalzell
Pen: Dalzell
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Joël Dume (France)

3 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Australia  57–9  Romania
Try: Kefu (3)
Roff (2)
Kafer
Burke
Little
Horan
Con: Burke (5)
Eales
ReportPen: Mitu (3)
Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast
Attendance: 12,500
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

9 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
United States  25–27  Romania
Try: Shuman
Hightower
Lyle
Con: Dalzell (2)
Pen: Dalzell (2)
ReportTry: Petrache (2)
Solomie (2)
Con: Mitu (2)
Pen: Mitu
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

10 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Ireland  3–23  Australia
Pen: HumphreysReportTry: Tune
Horan
Con: Burke (2)
Pen: Burke (2)
Eales
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 49,250
Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)


15 October 1999
19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Ireland  44–14  Romania
Try: O'Shea (2)
Ward
Tierney
O'Cuinneagain
Con: Elwood (5)
Pen: Elwood (2)
Drop: O'Driscoll
ReportTry: Săuan
Pen: Mitu (3)
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 33,000
Referee: Brian Campsall (England)

Ranking of third-placed teams

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Qualified for quarter-final play-offs
Team W D L PF PA Pts
  Argentina 2 0 1 83 51 7
  Canada 1 0 2 114 82 5
  Uruguay 1 0 2 42 97 5
  Romania 1 0 2 50 126 5
  Tonga 1 0 2 47 171 5

Play-off stage

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The quarter-final play-offs were three one-off knock-out matches between the runners-up of each pool and the best third-placed side from all five pools to decide the remaining three places in the quarter-finals. The matches were played in mid-week between the completion of the pool stage and the start of the quarter-finals. The matches produced fairly easy wins for England, beating Fiji 45–24, and also for Scotland, beating Samoa 35–20. However, the final match produced the shock of the round where Argentina upset Ireland 28–24 in Lens.

Quarter-final play-offs

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20 October 1999
13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
England  45–24  Fiji
Try: Luger
Back
Beal
Greening
Con: Dawson
Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson (7)
ReportTry: Satala
Nakauta
Tiko
Con: Little (3)
Pen: Serevi
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

20 October 1999
15:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Scotland  35–20  Samoa
Try: C. Murray
M. Leslie
Penalty try
Con: Logan
Pen: Logan (5)
Drop: Townsend
ReportTry: Lima
Sititi
Con: Leaega (2)
Pen: Leaega (2)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

20 October 1999
20:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
Argentina  28–24  Ireland
Try: Albanese
Con: Quesada
Pen: Quesada (7)
ReportPen: Humphreys (7)
Drop: Humphreys
Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

Knockout stage

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The winners from the quarter-final play-offs, who had played in mid-week, joined the pool winners, who had enjoyed a week long rest, in the quarter-finals. England, hosts Wales and Scotland were all knocked out, and France, who beat Argentina, were the only team left from the Northern Hemisphere.

The semi-finals, which were both played at Twickenham Stadium, produced two of the most dramatic matches of the tournament, with Australia beating South Africa 27–21 in extra-time after normal time ended with the scores locked at 18-18. The second semi-final between favourites New Zealand and underdogs France was an all-time classic, as France overturned a 24–10 deficit to win 43–31 and reach their second World Cup final. France and Australia met at the Millennium Stadium on 6 November 1999, with Australia winning 35–12 to become the first team to win the Webb Ellis Cup twice. The cup was presented by Queen Elizabeth II to Australian captain John Eales.[2][3]

The overall attendance for the tournament was 1.75 million.[5]

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
24 October – Stade de France
 
 
  South Africa44
 
30 October – Twickenham
 
  England21
 
  South Africa21
 
23 October – Millennium Stadium
 
  Australia (a.e.t.)27
 
  Australia24
 
6 November – Millennium Stadium
 
  Wales9
 
  Australia35
 
24 October – Murrayfield
 
  France12
 
  New Zealand30
 
31 October – Twickenham
 
  Scotland18
 
  New Zealand31
 
24 October – Lansdowne Road
 
  France43 Third place
 
  France47
 
4 November – Millennium Stadium
 
  Argentina26
 
  South Africa22
 
 
  New Zealand18
 

Quarter-finals

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23 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Wales  9–24  Australia
Pen: Jenkins (3)ReportTry: Gregan (2)
Tune
Con: Burke (3)
Pen: Burke
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,000
Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)

24 October 1999
14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
South Africa  44–21  England
Try: Van der Westhuizen
P. Rossouw
Con: De Beer (2)
Pen: De Beer (5)
Drop: De Beer (5)
ReportPen: Grayson (6)
Wilkinson
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 75,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

24 October 1999
18:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Scotland  18–30  New Zealand
Try: C. Murray
Pountney
Con: Logan
Pen: Logan
Drop: Townsend
ReportTry: Umaga (2)
Wilson
Lomu
Con: Mehrtens (2)
Pen: Mehrtens (2)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 59,750
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

24 October 1999
15:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Argentina  26–47  France
Try: Pichot
Arbizu
Con: Quesada (2)
Pen: Quesada (3)
Contepomi
ReportTry: Garbajosa (2)
Bernat-Salles (2)
Ntamack
Con: Lamaison (5)
Pen: Lamaison (4)
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

Semi-finals

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30 October 1999
15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
Australia  27–21
(a.e.t.)
  South Africa
Pen: Burke (8)
Drop: Larkham
ReportPen: De Beer (6)
Drop: De Beer
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

31 October 1999
15:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)
France  43–31  New Zealand
Try: Lamaison
Dominici
Dourthe
Bernat-Salles
Con: Lamaison (4)
Pen: Lamaison (3)
Drop: Lamaison (2)
ReportTry: Lomu (2)
Wilson
Con: Mehrtens (2)
Pen: Mehrtens (4)
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

Third-place play-off

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4 November 1999
20:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)
New Zealand  18–22  South Africa
Pen: Mehrtens (6)ReportTry: Paulse
Con: Honiball
Pen: Honiball (3)
Drop: Montgomery (2)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

Final

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6 November 1999
15:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)
Australia  35–12  France
Try: Tune
Finegan
Con: Burke (2)
Pen: Burke (7)
ReportPen: Lamaison (4)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

Statistics

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The tournament's top point scorer was Argentina's Gonzalo Quesada, who scored 102 points. Jonah Lomu scored the most tries, eight in total, a rugby world cup record.

Top 10-point scorers
Player Team Position Played Tries Conv­ersions Penal­ties Drop goals Total points
Gonzalo Quesada   Argentina Fly-half 5 0 3 31 1 102
Matt Burke   Australia Full-back 6 2 17 19 0 101
Jannie de Beer   South Africa Fly-half 5 0 17 15 6 97
Andrew Mehrtens   New Zealand First five-eighth 5 0 11 19 0 79
Jonny Wilkinson   England Fly-half 4 1 8 16 0 69
Christophe Lamaison   France Fly-half 6 1 9 12 2 65
Silao Leaega   Samoa Wing 4 2 11 10 0 62
Neil Jenkins   Wales Fly-half 4 0 12 11 0 57
Paul Grayson   England Fly-half 4 0 12 10 0 54
Kenny Logan   Scotland Wing 4 0 9 11 0 51

Broadcasting

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British television rights holders ITV acted as the host broadcaster for the tournament, with S4C also broadcasting matches in the Welsh language.[6] with coverage shown in 209 countries, to an audience of 3.1 billion viewers.[7] In Australia, the event was broadcast by Seven Network.

Broadcast UK history

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  • ITV (1 October 1999 – 6 November 1999)
  • S4C (1 October 1999 – 6 November 1999)

References

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  1. ^ The International Rugby Board opened the sport to professionals in August 1995, after the 1995 tournament had been completed.
  2. ^ a b "1999: France 43–31 N Zealand – BBC Sport". BBC News. 24 September 2003. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  3. ^ a b "1999: Aussies rule world again". BBC News. 24 September 2003. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  4. ^ "New Zealand Wins 2011 Rugby World Cup – Background and History". Goaustralia.about.com. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Rugby World Cup Background and History". Goaustralia.about.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  6. ^ "ITV Sport tackles Rugby World Cup coverage with help from BT". BT Broadcast Services. 19 April 1999.
  7. ^ Cain, Nick; Growden, Greg (2011). "17". Rugby Union for Dummies 3rd Edition. John Wiley & Sons. p. 261. ISBN 9781119991823.
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External videos
  Rugby World Cup 1999 Semi-Final: New Zealand v France on YouTube