Although international rugby has been played for well over a
century, the Rugby World Cup is a relatively recent phenomenon.
The first tournament took place in May and June 1987, with games
played in both New Zealand and Australia. The final was held at
Eden Park, Auckland, on 20 June, where the home team beat France
to become the inaugural holders of the Webb Ellis Cup. In a
country where rugby is often referred to as a religion, hosting
and winning the first Rugby World Cup was certainly a big deal.
For much of the 20th century the All Blacks had been regarded as
one of the best teams in international rugby, but without a
world cup such claims were difficult to prove. Before 2011's
triumph New Zealand had not won the four-yearly competition
since 1987, a fact that weighed heavy on the hearts and minds of
New Zealand fans. Photographs of captain David Kirk holding the
Webb Ellis Cup aloft in 1987 became one of our most famous
sporting images. Until Richie McCaw was able to repeat the scene
in October 2011 ma