Rugby World Cup records have been accumulating since the first Rugby World Cup tournament was held in 1987.

Team records

Titles

Title win rate

Most semi-finals

Most quarter-finals

Most appearances

Points

Last updated: 28 October 2023

Margins

Tries

Player records

Points

Tries

Youngest try scorer in a World Cup game Oldest try scorer in a World Cup game

Conversions

Penalty goals

Drop goals

Appearance statistics

Oldest player to appear in a World Cup match Oldest player to appear in a World Cup final Oldest player to win a World Cup final Youngest player to appear in a World Cup match Youngest player to appear in a World Cup final Youngest player to win a World Cup final

By tournament

Note: ***** denotes an all-time record

Miscellaneous

Winning coaches and captains

A foreign coach has never managed a World Cup-winning team.

Discipline

Draws

1During the 2019 tournament, Typhoon Hagibis caused the matches New Zealand v Italy, England v France and Namibia v Canada to be cancelled and recorded as 0–0 draws.

Nil points

1 During the 2019 tournament, Typhoon Hagibis caused the matches New Zealand v Italy, England v France and Namibia v Canada to be cancelled and recorded as 0–0 draws.

Highest attendance

Lowest attendance

Hosting

Head-to-Head

The highest number of Head-to-Head matches between two nations currently stands at eight meetings, encompassing four teams (Australia, France, New Zealand, and Wales) in two Rugby World Cup rivalries. The following table lists the Head-to-Head statistics of the Rugby World Cup, ranging from the inaugural tournament in 1987 to the latest tournament in 2023. It is organised first numerically, with the more Head-to-Head meetings appearing at the top of the table and the fewer meetings, such as one meeting between two nations appearing at the bottom of the table, and second, alphabetically by teams. 1 Samoa competed as Western Samoa from 1924 to 1997. 2 Round 2 was introduced at the 1999 Rugby World Cup and consisted of the five group runners-up and the best third-placed team playoff for one of three places in the quarter-final. It was discontinued for the 2003 to 2023 Rugby World Cups. Round 2 will be re-introduced for the 2027 Rugby World Cup and will consist of the last 16 teams made up from the top two placed teams from six groups and the best four third-placed teams. 3 Three Rugby World Cup 2019 matches; involving Namibia versus Canada, New Zealand versus Italy, and England versus France, were cancelled and recorded as a 0–0 draw due to Typhoon Hagibis.

Tier 1 Nations Head-to-Head

The table below shows the current dominance in the Head-to-Head meetings of Tier 1 nations at the Rugby World Cup from the first tournament in 1987 to the latest tournament in 2023 (as of 20 October). Currently, New Zealand has the best record amongst the other Tier 1 nations, achieving more wins and culminating in a superior Head-to-Head record over seven other Tier 1 nations, and equal with two others (Australia and South Africa). Italy are at the bottom of the table, and have an inferior Head-to-Head record with eight other Tier 1 nations, and parity with one other nation (Argentina). However, as of the 2023 tournament Japan are the bottom team. There are two Tier 1 Head-to-Head meetings that have never been played at a Rugby World Cup: England–Ireland, and Scotland–Wales. 1 Two Tier 1 Rugby World Cup 2019 matches; involving New Zealand versus Italy, and England versus France, were cancelled and recorded as a 0–0 draw due to Typhoon Hagibis.

Trivia