Rugby World Cup - Top 10 Moments

In 16 days’ time England will play host to the biggest competition in the sport of rugby. As the World Cup arrives on British shores, Total Sport takes a look at 10 of the biggest moments in the tournament’s history.

1. Ball swapping scandal – World Cup 2007 (France)

England the culprits and Romania the opposition – this 2007 clash saw kicking coach Dave Alred, along with conditioning coach Paul Stridgeon, embroiled in a fiasco regarding which ball England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson should use for his conversion attempts. The coaching duo were of the opinion one ball of the eight was better than the others when it came to the all-important kicks, and ensured that the ball in question was handed to Wilkinson at each conversation opportunity. Of course, the regulations disagreed with such behaviour. Guidelines stated that in each instance the ball used to score the try must be the same ball used to make the conversion. Alred and Stridgeon were punished accordingly and England rugby felt a black mark etched below its name.

2. The arrival of youthful North – World Cup 2011 (New Zealand)

Now an icon of world rugby, it seems hard to imagine that Wales’ George North was once unrecognisable on the sporting scene. Aged 19 years and 166 days old, the wing took to the stage in Wales’ pool stage clash against Namibia and touched down to become the youngster try scorer in World Cup history.

3. The Aussies romp over Namibia – World Cup 2003 (Australia)

The hosts were in a merciless mood as they met Namibia in the 2003 tournament. The glorious sunshine wasn’t enough to perk up the spirits of the desolate Namibians as the Aussies notched a record 22 tries and 16 conversions. Chris Latham ran in five of the tries as the Wallabies went from relentless to oppressive. The 142-0 scoreline still stands proudly in the Rugby World Cup Hall of Fame.

4. Sebastien Chabal rises to the face of the game – World Cup 2007 (France)

The home nation needed a poster boy to promote their prestigious tournament. Arise the most unlikely of candidates – Sebastien Chabal. Standing at six foot two inches tall with a greasy mop of long, shoulder-length dark hair and a grisly beard to match, Chabal didn’t tick many boxes in the criteria of model material. Nonetheless, the French number eight won the hearts of both his nation and the world with his flamboyant personality and performances of pure bravery. The ‘caveman look’ soon became a marketing sensation to promote the masculinity of the tournament and soon Chabal’s face became plastered all over the sporting landscape.

5. Lewsey scores within 78 seconds – World Cup 2007 (France)

The perfect start, sought after in every sport, regardless of the game or opposition. The World Cup semi-final in 2007 saw England line up against the host nation France – a daunting prospect and an undoubtedly difficult obstacle to overcome. Starting brightly, Andy Gomarsall’s box-kick caught Frenchman Damien Traille compromised, leaving Josh Lewsey free to capitalise upon the situation and surge over the line with just 78 seconds played. The rest is history and England would go on to reach an unexpected second final in a row.

6. De Beer becomes a record setter – World Cup 1999 (Wales and others)

Jannie De Beer took to the field for the Springboks against England, perhaps unaware that he was about to make history. A tense and hostile Paris crowd met the South Africans, who were clearly outnumbered by their counterparts’ fans. Not to be deterred, De Beer was in imperial form and soon took centre stage. The fly-half did not miss a single kick all match for South Africa and put away an impressive five dropped goals. South Africa won the game 44-21 and the feat remains a Test match record to this day.

7. Jason Robinson touches down in Oz – World Cup 2003 (Australia)

The tension was high as Clive Woodward’s England team took to the field for the World Cup final. Bathed in pressure and expectation, the players knew they had to deliver. In a moment of their finest attacking prowess, England sequenced together an exquisite passage of play, leading up to the iconic moment whereby wing Jason Robinson cut in from the corner and dived at full stretch to make the try. Giving England a 14-5 half-time lead, the try would be the only one recorded by England in the match, before going on to be crowned world champions.

8. Warburton sees red – World Cup 2011 (New Zealand)

It was a mere 18 minutes into this World Cup semi-final when Wales flanker Sam Warburton was staring up at a card as red as his shirt. A tip-tackle had been deemed by referee Alain Rolland to be enough to signal Warburton’s departure. The Wales captain was inconsolable as he trudged off the field, gripped by the realisation that this was the greatest chance for his nation to make the final for the first time. The card is still speculated to this day, with many pundits in agreement Warburton’s actions deserved only a yellow. Given no other option but to watch from the stands as his teammates valiantly battled on, Warburton saw his Wales team miss out on their final dream by losing 9-8.

9. French artistry and Serge Blanco’s try – World Cup 1987 (New Zealand & Australia)

The stage was the semi-final, the opposition joint hosts Australia. The French had their work cut out for them if they had any hope of reaching the final, and they knew it. Battling like lions, the French tied the score 24-24 coming into the dying embers of this World Cup clash. It was time for something special and France were ready to deliver. Working the ball from their own 22 via 11 different pairs of hands, the French turned on the artistic style as their Australian counterparts failed to come within touching distance. The move ended in the hands of one of the most notable figures in rugby history, Serge Blanco. The full-back blitzed down the left flank to touch down with a picture-perfect full stretch. France would progress to the final but would be thwarted by New Zealand, a scoreline reading 29-9.

10.   Wilkinson masterclass – World Cup 2003 (Australia)

No list of great rugby World Cup moments would be complete without the addition of Jonny Wilkinson. When the England fly-half laced up his boots pre-match on November 22, 2003, it is difficult to imagine that he knew just how important they would come during the 100 minutes that followed. The scene was like one crafted from a fantasy novel, less than half a minute of extra time on the clock and despair creeping in. A hero was needed; cometh the hour cometh the man. The ball fell into the path of Wilkinson, 30 yards out. He took the drop kick, or a “drop for World Cup glory” as commentator Ian Robertson declared. The rest, as they say, is history.