Rugby World Cup 2023: Rank the top 10 moments in tournament history

What are the top Rugby World Cup moments?

The bid besides covers themes including the champion captains, tries, upsets and teams.

Below are their picks for the top moments successful chronological order. See what you think, past fertile them yourself.

• Listen to the Rugby World Cup Top 10s bid present connected BBC Sounds

The opening crippled - wherever it each began

New Zealand hosted the archetypal Rugby World Cup successful 1987, opening the contention with a 70-6 triumph implicit Italy astatine Eden Park. The hosts went connected to triumph the inaugural World Cup, with a 29-9 triumph implicit France successful the final.

BH: "Where it each started! Rugby has travel connected specified a agelong mode from that archetypal point. It enactment it connected the planetary signifier to creating a showpiece for the athletics we dearly love."

Lomu runs implicit Catt and France

New Zealand helping Jonah Lomu became the archetypal planetary superstar of rugby astatine the 1995 World Cup. During the semi-final triumph implicit England, helium trampled implicit Mike Catt earlier scoring 1 of his 4 tries successful a 45-29 victory. Four years aboriginal successful the semi-final, helium powered done aggregate French tacklers to people yet different 1 of the large World Cup tries.

MD: "If we are shortening it to conscionable a infinitesimal successful time... erstwhile helium ran done France. No-one has ne'er done that before, and I don't deliberation they volition bash it again."

BH: "If you deliberation of the Rugby World Cup and a moment, that is 1 that comes up - against Mike Catt."

Brooke's immense drop-goal

During that 1995 semi-final betwixt England and New Zealand, different iconic infinitesimal occurred erstwhile New Zealand fig 8 Zinzan Brooke picked up the shot and knocked implicit a drop-goal from 45 metres out.

BH: "For a guardant to instrumentality a driblet footwear from 45 metres connected the angle, it was conscionable effortless..."

Mandela presents Pienaar with the trophy

The representation of Nelson Mandela handing South Africa skipper Francois Pienaar the Rugby World Cup aft the Springboks' 15-12 triumph implicit New Zealand successful 1995 is iconic. Mandela, the erstwhile governmental captive turned unifying president of a nation, was wearing a South Africa rugby garment bearing the Springbok badge - a awesome antecedently reviled by non-whites successful the state arsenic it was truthful powerfully identified with the apartheid era.

BH: "As moments go, if you were to play a item reel of moments from 1987 to 2019, that is the archetypal 1 you prime - without a doubt. The ocular infinitesimal and what it meant for the crippled of rugby and South Africa."

De Beer's 5 drop-goals against England

Fly-half Jannie de Beer astir single-handedly knocked England retired of the 1999 World Cup with 5 drop-goals successful the quarter-final, the bulk of which were from agelong range. The crippled finished 44-21.

MD: "After two, we were like: 'This is ridiculous.' Then it dawned connected america - it was their plan; it wasn't him kicking a drop-goal arsenic helium had nary option. It was a phenomenal strategy to spell for. We thought we were successful the crippled but we ne'er were."

BH: "All 5 were incredible, but a infinitesimal I look backmost to is erstwhile the large Joost van der Westhuizen, aft the 5th one, runs implicit and jumps connected Jannie. It's that feeling of, 'we person done this'.

Gregan's 'four much years, boys'

The 2003 semi-final betwixt Australia and New Zealand was built up arsenic 1 of the biggest matches betwixt these 2 immense rivals. The All Blacks had not won the trophy since 1987 but were - again - among the favourites. The crippled is remembered for Australia scrum-half George Gregan mouthing "four much years, boys" to replacement Byron Kelleher successful the closing stages of Australia's 22-10 win.

BH: "You effort to accidental things and bash things successful a crippled but for George to virtually marque Byron Kelleher not person immoderate rebuttal oregon effect - it is successful the astir axenic form. I conscionable emotion it."

MD: "There are precise fewer radical who tin accidental it and it person that overmuch effect due to the fact that of that Australian and New Zealand rivalry."

Wilkinson's winning drop-goal successful 2003

"He drops for World Cup glory..." Jonny Wilkinson kicked a last-minute drop-goal with his weaker ft to borderline England past Australia 20-17 successful other clip of the 2003 final. Scrum-half Dawson delivered the all-important walk - aft breaking into the Australia 22.

BH: "He did it with his anemic foot, successful a World Cup final, to triumph the game. On the incorrect ft with that pressure, it shows the people of the player."

MD: "It is the full fairytale of Jonny Wilkinson which makes that infinitesimal - from his young property into the England squad and his wide profile, his cognition towards beingness and rugby. A batch of radical present look astatine Jonny Wilkinson arsenic conscionable a fantastic quality being and look astatine him arsenic idiosyncratic who deserved that moment. I retrieve passing the shot to Jonny and I did deliberation 'don't miss this' but determination was a portion of maine like, 'he has missed a mates today' and I thought we mightiness not person different chance."

France haka effect successful 2007

After the heartbreak of 2003, New Zealand assembled arguably an adjacent much awesome squad for the 2007 World Cup successful France. However, hosts France shocked the All Blacks successful a celebrated quarter-final successful Cardiff. Before winning the crippled 20-18, they stared down the haka - mounting the tone.

BH: "You tin seizure that and amusement idiosyncratic that and they would astir beryllium capable to recollect wherever they where."

England haka effect successful 2019 semi-final

England had their ain memorable effect to the haka successful 2019, lining up successful a V formation, with skipper Owen Farrell smiling. The situation was accepted and England won the semi-final 19-7.

MD: "I didn't similar the V astatine the time. I was thinking: 'What connected world are you doing? You indispensable triumph now!'

Kolisi lifting 2019 World Cup

Another iconic infinitesimal provided by the Springboks. Kolisi became the archetypal achromatic South African skipper to assistance the William Webb Ellis Trophy erstwhile they bushed England 32-12 successful Yokohama. He said triumph would "pull the state together".

BH: "The person, the inspiration, the story, the humility, the mode helium is utilizing his level to springiness backmost and marque this satellite a amended place. What helium has done and is continuing to bash - it transcends the crippled of rugby. I don't deliberation we person had different moments similar that."

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