The 1987 Rugby World Cup

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. The fact that New Zealand has not won the four-yearly competition since 1987 has arguably made that victory even more important to All Black fans. Photographs of captain David Kirk holding the Webb Ellis Cup in triumph are among our most famous sporting images.

What is less well known is how the first Rugby World Cup came about. This fascinating story highlights a number of key themes, including the struggle between the amateur ideal and creeping professionalism, tensions between the British home unions and southern hemisphere countries, and international protests over sporting contacts with South Africa. The story begins with a look at the 19th-century origins of international rugby.