# 1999 Rugby World Cup

The 1999 Rugby World Cup (Welsh: Cwpan Rygbi'r Byd 1999), was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship, the first World Cup to be held in the sport's professional era.
Four automatic qualification places were available for the 1999 tournament; Wales qualified automatically as hosts, and the other three places went to the top three teams from the previous World Cup in 1995: champions South Africa, runners-up New Zealand and third-placed France. 63 nations took part in the qualification process, with 14 nations progressing directly to the tournament. the remaining two qualifiers were determined by a repechage, introduced for the first time in the tournaments history. This was also the first World Cup to feature 20 teams (expanded from 16).
The 20 teams were divided into five pools of four. The winner of each pool progressed to the last eight automatically, with the remaining quarter-finalists determined by three play-off matches, played between the runners-up from each pool and the best third-placed team. The tournament began with the opening ceremony in the newly constructed Millennium Stadium, with Wales beating Argentina 23–18, and Colin Charvis scoring the first try of the tournament. Australia won the tournament, becoming the first nation to do so twice and also to date the only team ever to win after having to qualify for the tournament, with a 35–12 triumph over France, who were unable to repeat their semi-final victory over pre-tournament favourites New Zealand. The overall attendance for the tournament was 1.75 million.

## Qualifying

The following 20 teams, shown by region, qualified for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Of the 20 teams, only four of those places were automatically allocated and did not have to play any qualification matches. These went to the champions, runners-up and the third-placed nations at the 1995 and the tournament host, Wales. A record 65 nations from five continents were therefore involved in the qualification process designed to fill the remaining 16 spots.
| Africa | Americas | Europe | Oceania/Asia |
| Namibia (Africa)  South Africa | Argentina (Americas 1)  Canada (Americas 2)  United States (Americas 3)  Uruguay (Repechage 2) | England (Europe 2)  France  Ireland (Europe 1)  Italy (Europe 5)  Romania (Europe 4)  Scotland (Europe 3)  Spain (Europe 6)  Wales | Australia (Oceania 1)  Fiji (Oceania 2)  New Zealand  Samoa (Oceania 3)  Tonga (Repechage 1)  Japan (Asia) |

## Venues

Wales won the right to host the World Cup in 1999. The centrepiece venue for the tournament was the Millennium Stadium, built on the site of the old National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park at a cost of £126 million from Lottery money and private investment. Other venues in Wales were the Racecourse Ground and Stradey Park. An agreement was reached so that the other unions in the Five Nations Championship (England, France, Ireland and Scotland) also hosted matches.
Venues in England included Twickenham Stadium and Welford Road Stadium, rugby union venues, as well as Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol, which normally hosts football, and the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield, which normally hosts football and rugby league. Scottish venues included Murrayfield Stadium, the home of the Scottish Rugby Union; Hampden Park, the home of the Scottish Football Association; and the smallest venue in the 1999 tournament, Netherdale, in Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders. Venues in Ireland included Lansdowne Road, the traditional home of the Irish Rugby Football Union; Ravenhill Stadium; and Thomond Park. France used five venues, the most of any nation, including the French national stadium, Stade de France, which hosted the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and would later go on to host the finals of both the 2007 and 2023 editions of the tournament.
| Cardiff | Wrexham | Llanelli | Saint-Denis |
| Millennium Stadium | Racecourse Ground | Stradey Park | Stade de France |
| Capacity: 74,500 | Capacity: 15,500 | Capacity: 10,800 | Capacity: 80,000 |
| London | Edinburgh | Glasgow | Dublin |
| Twickenham Stadium | Murrayfield Stadium | Hampden Park | Lansdowne Road |
| Capacity: 75,000 | Capacity: 67,500 | Capacity: 52,500 | Capacity: 49,250 |
| Lens | Bordeaux | Toulouse | Huddersfield |
| Stade Félix Bollaert | Parc Lescure | Stadium de Toulouse | McAlpine Stadium |
| Capacity: 41,800 | Capacity: 38,327 | Capacity: 37,000 | Capacity: 24,500 |
| Bristol | Béziers | Leicester | Limerick |
| Ashton Gate Stadium | Stade de la Méditerranée | Welford Road Stadium | Thomond Park |
| Capacity: 21,500 | Capacity: 18,000 | Capacity: 16,500 | Capacity: 13,500 |
| Belfast | Galashiels |
| Ravenhill | Netherdale |
| Capacity: 12,500 | Capacity: 6,000 |

## Pools and format

| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D | Pool E |
| South Africa  Scotland  Spain  Uruguay | New Zealand  England  Italy  Tonga | France  Fiji  Canada  Namibia | Wales  Argentina  Samoa  Japan | Australia  Ireland  United States  Romania |
With the expansion of the Rugby World Cup from 16 to 20 teams an unusual and complex format was used with the teams split into five pools of four teams with each team playing each other in their pool once.
* Pool A was played in Scotland
* Pool B was played in England
* Pool C was played in France
* Pool D was played in the principal host nation Wales
* Pool E was played in Ireland
Points system
The points system that was used in the pool stage was unchanged from both 1991 and 1995:
* 3 points for a win
* 2 points for a draw
* 1 point for playing
The five pool winners qualified automatically to the quarter-finals. The five pool runners-up and the best third-placed side qualified for the quarter-final play-offs.
Knock-out stage
The five pool runners-up and the best third-placed team from the pool stage (which was Argentina) contested the quarter-final play-offs in three one-off matches that decided the remaining three places in the quarter-finals, with the losers being eliminated. The unusual format meant that two pool winners in the quarter-finals would have to play each other. From the quarter-final stage it became a simple knockout tournament. The semi-final losers played off for third place. The draw and format for the knock-out stage was set as follows.
Quarter-final play-offs draw
* Match H: Pool B runner-up v Pool C runner-up
* Match G: Pool A runner-up v Pool D runner-up
* Match F: Pool E runner-up v Best third-placed team
Quarter-finals draw
* Match M: Pool D winners v Pool E winners
* Match J: Pool A winners v Play-off H winners
* Match L: Pool C winners v Play-off F winners
* Match K: Pool B winners v Play-off G winners
Semi-finals draw
* Match J winners v Match M winners
* Match L winners v Match K winners
A total of 41 matches (30 pool stage and 11 knock-out) were played throughout the tournament over 35 days from 1 October 1999 to 6 November 1999.

## Referees

| Andrew Cole Stuart Dickinson Wayne Erickson Peter Marshall Brian Campsall Ed Morrison Chris White Joël Dumé | David McHugh Colin Hawke Paul Honiss Paddy O'Brien André Watson Jim Fleming Derek Bevan Clayton Thomas |

## Pool stage

The tournament began on 1 October 1999 in the newly built Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, with Wales beating Argentina in a hard-fought game 23–18 to get their campaign off to a positive start. The Pool stage of the tournament played out as was widely expected with the Tri Nations teams of New Zealand (who inflected a massive 101–3 win against Italy at the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield), South Africa and Australia all winning their pools easily without losing a single game. For the then Five Nations Championship teams who all played their pool matches in their own countries it was a case of mixed fortunes with France winning their pool without losing a game. Host Wales also won their pool, though they suffered 31–38 defeat at the hands of Samoa in front of a home crowd at the Millennium Stadium. However, as expected England, Ireland and Scotland all finished second in their pools and were forced to try to qualify for the quarter-finals via the play-offs alongside fellow runners-up Samoa and Fiji, and Argentina as the best third placed side from all five pools, having been the only third-placed side to win two matches (against Samoa and Japan). Indeed, Argentina had finished level with Wales and Samoa on 7 points each in the group stages, and could only be separated by "total points scored": playing and winning their final match against Japan, they had the chance to overtake either of Samoa or Wales, but were 14 points short of overtaking Samoa's total score and a further 18 points short of Wales.
* Qualified for quarter-finals
* Qualified for quarter-final play-offs

### Pool A

| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
| South Africa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 35 | 9 |
| Scotland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 120 | 58 | 7 |
| Uruguay | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 97 | 5 |
| Spain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 122 | 3 |
* 2 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| Spain | 15–27 | Uruguay |
| Pen: Kovalenco (5) 7', 40', 48', 50', 68' | Report | Try: Ormaechea 23' c Penalty try 64' c Cardoso 77' m Menchaca 80' m Con: Aguirre Sciarra Pen: Aguirre 15' |
* Netherdale, Galashiels Attendance: 3,761 Referee: Chris White (England)
* 3 October 1999 17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| Scotland | 29–46 | South Africa |
| Try: M. Leslie Tait Con: Logan (2) Pen: Logan (4) Drop: Townsend | | Try: Le Roux Kayser Van der Westhuizen Fleck A. Venter B. Venter Con: De Beer (5) Pen: De Beer (2) |
* Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 57,612 Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)
* 8 October 1999 16:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| Scotland | 43–12 | Uruguay |
| Try: Russell Armstrong Metcalfe M. Leslie Simpson Townsend Con: Logan (5) Pen: Logan | | Pen: Aguirre (3) Sciarra |
* Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 9,463 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
* 10 October 1999 17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| South Africa | 47–3 | Spain |
| Try: Vos (2) Leonard Penalty try Muller Skinstad Swanepoel Con: De Beer (6) | | Pen: Velazco Querol |
* Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 4,769 Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
* 15 October 1999 17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| South Africa | 39–3 | Uruguay |
| Try: Van den Berg (2) Van der Westhuizen Kayser Fleck Con: De Beer (4) Pen: De Beer (2) | | Pen: Aguirre |
* Hampden Park, Glasgow Attendance: 3,500 Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)
* 16 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| Scotland | 48–0 | Spain |
| Try: Mather (2) McLaren Longstaff Hodge C. Murray Penalty try Con: Hodge (5) Pen: Hodge | | |
* Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 17,593 Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

### Pool B

| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
| New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 28 | 9 |
| England | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 184 | 47 | 7 |
| Tonga | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 171 | 5 |
| Italy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 35 | 196 | 3 |
* 2 October 1999 17:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| England | 67–7 | Italy |
| Try: Wilkinson Hill Luger Back De Glanville Corry Dawson Perry Con: Wilkinson (6) Pen: Wilkinson (5) | | Try: Dominguez Con: Dominguez |
* Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 73,470 Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
* 3 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| New Zealand | 45–9 | Tonga |
| Try: Lomu (2) Kelleher Maxwell Kronfeld Con: Mehrtens (4) Pen: Mehrtens (4) | | Pen: Taumalolo (3) |
* Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)
* 9 October 1999 16:30 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| England | 16–30 | New Zealand |
| Try: De Glanville Con: Wilkinson Pen: Wilkinson (3) | | Try: Kelleher Wilson Lomu Con: Mehrtens (3) Pen: Mehrtens (3) |
* Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 72,000 Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)
* 10 October 1999 19:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| Italy | 25–28 | Tonga |
| Try: Moscardi Con: Dominguez Pen: Dominguez (6) | | Try: Taufahema Fatani Tuipulotu Con: Tuipulotu (2) Pen: Tuipulotu (2) Drop: Tuipulotu |
* Welford Road Stadium, Leicester Attendance: 10,244 Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)
* 14 October 1999 13:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| New Zealand | 101–3 | Italy |
| Try: Wilson (3) Osborne (2) Lomu (2) Randell Brown Cullen Hammett Gibson Robertson Mika Con: Brown (11) Pen: Brown (3) | | Pen: Dominguez |
* McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield Attendance: 24,000 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)
* 15 October 1999 13:00 WEST/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
| England | 101–10 | Tonga |
| Try: Guscott (2) Greening (2) Luger (2) Healey (2) Greenwood (2) Dawson Perry Hill Con: Grayson (12) Pen: Grayson (4) | | Try: Tiueti Con: Tuipulotu Pen: Tuipulotu |
* Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 72,485 Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

### Pool C

| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
| France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 52 | 9 |
| Fiji | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 124 | 68 | 7 |
| Canada | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 114 | 82 | 5 |
| Namibia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 186 | 3 |
* 1 October 1999 21:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| Fiji | 67–18 | Namibia |
| Try: Lasagavibau (2) S. Tawake Rauluni Satala Mocelutu Smith Tiko Katalau Con: Serevi (8) Pen: Serevi (2) | | Try: Jacobs Senekal Con: Van Dyk Pen: Van Dyk (2) |
* Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers Attendance: 10,000 Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)
* 2 October 1999 14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| France | 33–20 | Canada |
| Try: Ntamack Glas Castaignède Magne Con: Dourthe (2) Pen: Dourthe (3) | | Try: Williams (2) Con: Ross Rees Pen: Ross Rees |
* Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Brian Campsall (England)
* 8 October 1999 21:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| France | 47–13 | Namibia |
| Try: Mola (3) Ntamack Mignoni Bernat-Salles Con: Dourthe (4) Pen: Dourthe (3) | | Try: Samuelson Con: Van Dyk Pen: Van Dyk (2) |
* Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Attendance: 34,030 Referee: Chris White (England)
* 9 October 1999 13:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| Fiji | 38–22 | Canada |
| Try: Satala (2) Vunibaka Lasagavibau Con: Little (3) Pen: Little (3) Drop: Little | | Try: James Con: Rees Pen: Rees (4) Drop: Rees |
* Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Attendance: 27,000 Referee: Ed Morrison (England)
* 14 October 1999 20:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| Canada | 72–11 | Namibia |
| Try: Stanley (2) Snow (2) Nichols (2) Charron Ross Williams Con: Rees (9) Pen: Rees (3) | | Try: Hough Pen: Van Dyk (2) |
* Stade de Toulouse Attendance: 28,000 Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)
* 16 October 1999 14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| France | 28–19 | Fiji |
| Try: Juillet Dominici Penalty try Con: Dourthe (2) Pen: Dourthe (2) Lamaison | | Try: Uluinayau Con: Little Pen: Little (4) |
* Stade de Toulouse Attendance: 36,000 Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

### Pool D

| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
| Wales | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 118 | 71 | 7 |
| Samoa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 97 | 72 | 7 |
| Argentina | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 51 | 7 |
| Japan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 140 | 3 |
* 1 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Wales | 23–18 | Argentina |
| Try: Charvis Taylor Con: Jenkins (2) Pen: Jenkins (3) | | Pen: Quesada (6) |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 72,500 Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)
* 3 October 1999 13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Samoa | 43–9 | Japan |
| Try: Lima (2) So'oalo (2) Leaega Con: Leaega (3) Pen: Leaega (4) | | Pen: Hirose (3) |
* Racecourse Ground, Wrexham Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)
* 9 October 1999 14:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Wales | 64–15 | Japan |
| Try: Taylor (2) Howley Gibbs Llewellyn Thomas Bateman Howarth Penalty try Con: Jenkins (8) Pen: Jenkins | | Try: Tuidraki Ohata Con: Hirose Pen: Hirose |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 72,500 Referee: Joël Dume (France)
* 10 October 1999 13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Argentina | 32–16 | Samoa |
| Try: Allub Pen: Quesada (8) Drop: Quesada | | Try: Paramore Con: Leaega Pen: Leaega (3) |
* Stradey Park, Llanelli Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)
* 14 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Wales | 31–38 | Samoa |
| Try: Thomas Penalty try (2) Con: Jenkins (2) Pen: Jenkins (4) | | Try: Bachop (2) Falaniko Lam Leaega Con: Leaega (5) Pen: Leaega |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 72,500 Referee: Ed Morrison (England)
* 16 October 1999 19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Argentina | 33–12 | Japan |
| Try: Albanese Pichot Con: Contepomi Pen: Quesada (7) | | Pen: Hirose (4) |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 36,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

### Pool E

| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
| Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 31 | 9 |
| Ireland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 45 | 7 |
| Romania | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 126 | 5 |
| United States | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 52 | 135 | 3 |
* 2 October 1999 19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Ireland | 53–8 | United States |
| Try: Bishop Wood (4) O'Driscoll Penalty try Con: Humphreys (4) Elwood (2) Pen: Humphreys (2) | Report | Try: Dalzell Pen: Dalzell |
* Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Joël Dume (France)
* 3 October 1999 19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Australia | 57–9 | Romania |
| Try: Kefu (3) Roff (2) Kafer Burke Little Horan Con: Burke (5) Eales | Report | Pen: Mitu (3) |
* Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast Attendance: 12,500 Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
* 9 October 1999 19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| United States | 25–27 | Romania |
| Try: Shuman Hightower Lyle Con: Dalzell (2) Pen: Dalzell (2) | Report | Try: Petrache (2) Solomie (2) Con: Mitu (2) Pen: Mitu |
* Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)
* 10 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Ireland | 3–23 | Australia |
| Pen: Humphreys | Report | Try: Tune Horan Con: Burke (2) Pen: Burke (2) Eales |
* Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 49,250 Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)
* 14 October 1999 17:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Australia | 55–19 | United States |
| Try: Staniforth (2) Latham Whitaker Foley Burke Larkham Strauss Con: Burke (5) Roff Pen: Burke | Report | Try: Grobler Con: Dalzell Pen: Dalzell (4) |
* Thomond Park, Limerick Attendance: 13,000 Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
* 15 October 1999 19:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Ireland | 44–14 | Romania |
| Try: O'Shea (2) Ward Tierney O'Cuinneagain Con: Elwood (5) Pen: Elwood (2) Drop: O'Driscoll | Report | Try: Săuan Pen: Mitu (3) |
* Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 33,000 Referee: Brian Campsall (England)

### Ranking of third-placed teams

* Qualified for quarter-final play-offs
| Team | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| Argentina | 2 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 51 | 32 | 7 |
| Canada | 1 | 0 | 2 | 114 | 82 | 32 | 5 |
| Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 97 | -55 | 5 |
| Romania | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 126 | -76 | 5 |
| Tonga | 1 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 171 | -124 | 5 |

## Play-off stage

The quarter-final play-offs were three one-off knock-out matches between the runners-up of each pool and the best third-placed side from all five pools to decide the remaining three places in the quarter-finals. The matches were played in mid-week between the completion of the pool stage and the start of the quarter-finals. The matches produced fairly easy wins for England, beating Fiji 45–24, and also for Scotland, beating Samoa 35–20. However, the final match produced the shock of the round where Argentina upset Ireland 28–24 in Lens.

### Quarter-final play-offs

* 20 October 1999 13:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| England | 45–24 | Fiji |
| Try: Luger Back Beal Greening Con: Dawson Wilkinson Pen: Wilkinson (7) | Report | Try: Satala Nakauta Tiko Con: Little (3) Pen: Serevi |
* Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 55,000 Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)
* 20 October 1999 15:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Scotland | 35–20 | Samoa |
| Try: C. Murray M. Leslie Penalty try Con: Logan Pen: Logan (5) Drop: Townsend | Report | Try: Lima Sititi Con: Leaega (2) Pen: Leaega (2) |
* Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 20,000 Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)
* 20 October 1999 20:30 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| Argentina | 28–24 | Ireland |
| Try: Albanese Con: Quesada Pen: Quesada (7) | Report | Pen: Humphreys (7) Drop: Humphreys |
* Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

## Knockout stage

The winners from the quarter-final play-offs, who had played in mid-week, joined the pool winners, who had enjoyed a week long rest, in the quarter-finals. England, hosts Wales and Scotland were all knocked out, and France, who beat Argentina, were the only team left from the Northern Hemisphere.
The semi-finals, which were both played at Twickenham Stadium, produced two of the most dramatic matches of the tournament, with Australia beating South Africa 27–21 in extra-time after normal time ended with the scores locked at 18-18. The second semi-final between favourites New Zealand and underdogs France was an all-time classic, as France overturned a 24–10 deficit to win 43–31 and reach their second World Cup final. France and Australia met at the Millennium Stadium on 6 November 1999, with Australia winning 35–12 to become the first team to win the Webb Ellis Cup twice. The cup was presented by Queen Elizabeth II to Australian captain John Eales.
The overall attendance for the tournament was 1.75 million.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 24 October – Stade de France | 24 October – Stade de France | | | |
| South Africa | 44 | | | |
| South Africa | 44 | 30 October – Twickenham | 30 October – Twickenham | | |
| England | 21 | 30 October – Twickenham | 30 October – Twickenham | |
| England | 21 | South Africa | 21 | |
| 23 October – Millennium Stadium | 23 October – Millennium Stadium | | South Africa | 21 | |
| 23 October – Millennium Stadium | 23 October – Millennium Stadium | Australia (a.e.t.) | 27 | |
| Australia | 24 | Australia (a.e.t.) | 27 | |
| Australia | 24 | | | | 6 November – Millennium Stadium | 6 November – Millennium Stadium |
| Wales | 9 | | | | 6 November – Millennium Stadium | 6 November – Millennium Stadium |
| Wales | 9 | | | | Australia | 35 |
| 24 October – Murrayfield | 24 October – Murrayfield | | | | | Australia | 35 |
| 24 October – Murrayfield | 24 October – Murrayfield | | | | France | 12 |
| New Zealand | 30 | | | | France | 12 |
| New Zealand | 30 | 31 October – Twickenham | 31 October – Twickenham | | | |
| Scotland | 18 | 31 October – Twickenham | 31 October – Twickenham | | | |
| Scotland | 18 | New Zealand | 31 | | | |
| 24 October – Lansdowne Road | 24 October – Lansdowne Road | | New Zealand | 31 | | | |
| 24 October – Lansdowne Road | 24 October – Lansdowne Road | France | 43 | | Third place | Third place |
| France | 47 | France | 43 | | Third place | Third place |
| France | 47 | | | | 4 November – Millennium Stadium | 4 November – Millennium Stadium |
| Argentina | 26 | | | | 4 November – Millennium Stadium | 4 November – Millennium Stadium |
| Argentina | 26 | | | | South Africa | 22 |
| | | | | | New Zealand | 18 |

### Quarter-finals

* 23 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Wales | 9–24 | Australia |
| Pen: Jenkins (3) | Report | Try: Gregan (2) Tune Con: Burke (3) Pen: Burke |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 72,000 Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)
* 24 October 1999 14:00 CEST/GMT+2 (UTC+02)
| South Africa | 44–21 | England |
| Try: Van der Westhuizen P. Rossouw Con: De Beer (2) Pen: De Beer (5) Drop: De Beer (5) | Report | Pen: Grayson (6) Wilkinson |
* Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 75,000 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)
* 24 October 1999 18:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Scotland | 18–30 | New Zealand |
| Try: C. Murray Pountney Con: Logan Pen: Logan Drop: Townsend | Report | Try: Umaga (2) Wilson Lomu Con: Mehrtens (2) Pen: Mehrtens (2) |
* Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 59,750 Referee: Ed Morrison (England)
* 24 October 1999 15:30 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Argentina | 26–47 | France |
| Try: Pichot Arbizu Con: Quesada (2) Pen: Quesada (3) Contepomi | Report | Try: Garbajosa (2) Bernat-Salles (2) Ntamack Con: Lamaison (5) Pen: Lamaison (4) |
* Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

### Semi-finals

* 30 October 1999 15:00 WEST/GMT+1 (UTC+01)
| Australia | 27–21 (a.e.t.) | South Africa |
| Pen: Burke (8) Drop: Larkham | Report | Pen: De Beer (6) Drop: De Beer |
* Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 72,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)
* 31 October 1999 15:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)
| France | 43–31 | New Zealand |
| Try: Lamaison Dominici Dourthe Bernat-Salles Con: Lamaison (4) Pen: Lamaison (3) Drop: Lamaison (2) | Report | Try: Lomu (2) Wilson Con: Mehrtens (2) Pen: Mehrtens (4) |
* Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 70,000 Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

### Third-place play-off

* 4 November 1999 20:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)
| New Zealand | 18–22 | South Africa |
| Pen: Mehrtens (6) | Report | Try: Paulse Con: Honiball Pen: Honiball (3) Drop: Montgomery (2) |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 60,000 Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

### Final

* 6 November 1999 15:00 WET/GMT (UTC+00)
| Australia | 35–12 | France |
| Try: Tune Finegan Con: Burke (2) Pen: Burke (7) | Report | Pen: Lamaison (4) |
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 72,500 Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

## Statistics

The tournament's top point scorer was Argentina's Gonzalo Quesada, who scored 102 points. Jonah Lomu scored the most tries, eight in total, a rugby world cup record.
Top 10-point scorers :
| Player | Team | Position | Played | Tries | Conv­ersions | Penal­ties | Drop goals | Total points |
| Gonzalo Quesada | Argentina | Fly-half | 5 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 1 | 102 |
| Matt Burke | Australia | Full-back | 6 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 0 | 101 |
| Jannie de Beer | South Africa | Fly-half | 5 | 0 | 17 | 15 | 6 | 97 |
| Andrew Mehrtens | New Zealand | First five-eighth | 5 | 0 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 79 |
| Jonny Wilkinson | England | Fly-half | 4 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 69 |
| Christophe Lamaison | France | Fly-half | 6 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 65 |
| Silao Leaega | Samoa | Wing | 4 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 62 |
| Neil Jenkins | Wales | Fly-half | 4 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 57 |
| Paul Grayson | England | Fly-half | 4 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 54 |
| Kenny Logan | Scotland | Wing | 4 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 51 |

## Broadcasting

British television rights holders ITV acted as the host broadcaster for the tournament, with S4C also broadcasting matches in the Welsh language. with coverage shown in 209 countries, to an audience of 3.1 billion viewers. In Australia, the event was broadcast by Seven Network.

### Broadcast UK history

* ITV (1 October 1999 – 6 November 1999)
* S4C (1 October 1999 – 6 November 1999)