In the first instalment of a World Cup series, SA Rugby magazine looks back at the inaugural tournament in 1987, which was hosted and won by New Zealand.
Rugby union has always been resistant to change, and the introduction of a World Cup was no different. The main opposition to the concept was from the Home Unions (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) who regarded themselves as the guardians of the game.
However, in 1985 members of the International Rugby Football Union (IRFU) were asked to vote on a proposal to establish a ‘world rugby cup’.
As Gerald Davies explains in The History of the Rugby World Cup, this was a decision that had been a long time coming. The IRFU was first approached by two companies in the early 1980s. Both were rejected. In 1983, another two proposals were turned down.
In 1984, Australia and New Zealand submitted separate proposals, which were rejected. But they eventually decided to join forces and made another submission to the board in 1985, which proposed holding the first tournament in 1987 so it wouldn’t clash with the Olympics, Commonwealth Games or Fifa World Cup.
The Rugby World Cup received the green light from six member countries (including South Africa, who knew they wouldn’t be able to take part due to apartheid), while Ireland and Scotland voted against it.
Compared with recent World Cups, the 1987 tournament was a small event. Only 604 500 fans attended matches (compared with over 2.4 million in 2015) and 300 million watched on TV (compared with 857 million in 2019).
The first World Cup was also devalued by the absence of the Springboks, who had beaten the New Zealand Cavaliers 3-1 in a four-match series the year before. Although it’s impossible to know how they would have done, the Boks would have been expected to reach the final, if not win it.
With no serious challengers, the All Blacks cruised to the inaugural title, smashing France 29-9 in the Eden Park final.
New Zealand arrived in Auckland as huge favourites, having scored 269 points to 43 in their previous five games and having run in 40 tries to three. Buck Shelford had controlled the pack expertly from the back of the scrum, while captain David Kirk led the backline at scrumhalf.
Both played a big part in the final, but it was flyhalf Grant Fox who dominated the game with a 17-point haul. Flank Michael Jones, Kirk and winger John Kirwan scored the hosts’ tries, with scrumhalf Pierre Berbizier scoring France’s only try in the last minute.
For sheer drama, the best game of the 1987 World Cup was France’s 30-24 semi-final win against the Wallabies in Sydney. With full time approaching and the teams locked at 24-24, France counter-attacked and the ball was passed through several hands to the legendary Serge Blanco. The fullback, who was carrying an injury, went for the corner, dived over and famously threw his head back in celebration.
In the other semi-final, in Brisbane, Wales were thrashed 49-6 by the All Blacks, but recovered well to beat the Wallabies 22-21 in the playoff for third place in Rotorua.
The Welsh had reached the final four by beating arch-rivals England 16-3 and could reflect on a reasonably successful campaign.
1987 Player of the Tournament
Michael Jones made his All Blacks debut during the 1987 World Cup, having played a Test for Samoa the year before. The flanker was at his brilliant best during the tournament with ball in hand and at the breakdown.
He scored the first World Cup try in New Zealand’s 70-6 thrashing of Italy and grabbed the first try of the final after Grant Fox’s drop kick had been charged down. The All Blacks loose forwards overpowered the French that day, with Jones the standout performer.
Sadly, Jones’ career was to be badly affected by injury (he played 55 Tests out of a possible 90). He was also left out of the 1995 World Cup squad because of his refusal to play on Sundays as he is a devout Christian.
1987 Playoff results
Quarter-finals
New Zealand 30 Scotland 3
Australia 33 Ireland 15
France 31 Fiji 16
Wales 16 England 3
Semi-finals
France 30 Australia 24
New Zealand 49 Wales 6
Third-place playoff
Wales 22 Australia 21
Final
New Zealand 29 France 9
By Simon Borchardt