Rugby - WATCH: The first Rugby World Cup ever played!

Rugby - WATCH: The first Rugby World Cup ever played!Rugby fever is everywhere. But what about the first RWC that's ever been played? WATCH footage from the first-ever game!

by Alex Coyne

21-09-2023 20:15

in Culture

The Springboks and Ireland will lock horns in a blockbuster Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B match in Paris on Saturday, 23 September. Image by Rodger Bosch/AFP.

Rugby fever is everywhere as sports fans are glued to wherever they can find match broadcasts going on right now: the RWC 2023 is one of the most exciting sports events you could watch from anywhere.

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But what about the first Rugby World Cup that has ever been played?

We headed to YouTube and dug up some footage of the first ever Rugby World Cup match from 1987!

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Here are all the cool facts and some of the footage from what's been called one of the most historical Rugby World Cup tournaments ever played.

When was the first RWC played? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the first World Cup event was played in 1987.

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The World Cup took place in Australia and New Zealand, with both countries sharing hosting responsibility for the huge event. A total of 21 matches were played in New Zealand, and 11 were played on Australian soil.

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The first match was New Zealand versus Italy on the 22nd of May, with NZ winning 70 6.

A total of 29 matches were played: Grant Fox from New Zealand was the top scorer for the World Cup, achieving 126 points.

WATCH: The first Rugby World Cup's FINAL match The final match of the first Rugby World Cup 1987 was between New Zealand and France.

Watch the whole match here on YouTube!

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The second RWC would be played again in 1991.

South Africa would make history in 1995, participating in the historical next Rugby World Cup as a free country.

Rugby World Cup: Who won the first-ever RWC? So who won the Rugby World Cup back in 1987?

The game put New Zealand against France and New Zealand won the first RWC to be played. The score was an incredible 29 to 9.

If you're wondering about the stadium in the last game's footage: that's Eden Park in New Zealand, where the first 1987 World Cup started and ended.

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