Rugby Football History All Blacks Barbarians Canada British & Irish Lions Ireland Scotland Springboks USA Wales Wallabies Rugby World Cup (RWC) is administered by Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL), a subsidiary of the International Rugby Board (IRB). The IRB is a non-profit making organisation. All revenue generated through its activity is placed back in the game of Rugby. Rugby World Cup is the primary source of revenue for the funding of Rugby development worldwide. Ninety-five percent of all money distributed by the IRB worldwide for development comes from RWC revenue. These funds underpin the IRB's strategic investments programme including High Performance funding and development grants. The first RWC was held in New Zealand and Australia in 1987. The six tournaments to date are: How it all began The IRB held their annual board meeting on 20-21st March 1985 at the French Railways HQ in Paris. Each member nation had a single vote and the motion was carried 6 (Australia, England, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Wales) to 2 (Ireland and Scotland).

It would be staged jointly by Australia and New Zealand from the 22nd May to the 20th June 1987. This gave the two host nations approx. two years to prepare. Read the full story It may also interest you to know that Rugby League's World Cup was first held in 1954. Read more World Cup Finals Estimated £80 million net surplus boost to the Game. Loss of NZ $31.3 million, NZ $8 million lower than forecast The Famous Whistle The first game of every world cup to date has been started by the same whistle. The whistle is nearly 100 years old and bears an inscription saying it was used by Gil Evans in the Test match between New Zealand and England in December 1905, a match the All Blacks won 15-0. This piece of rugby history is also believed to have been used by Albert E. Freethy in the final of the 1924 Olympics in Paris when the United States beat hosts France 17-13 at the Colombes Stadium - the last time the sport of rugby union featured in the Games.

A year later Freethy blew the whistle to dismiss Cyril Brownlie in the Test between New Zealand and England at Twickenham in January 1925, making him the first player to be sent off in an international match. The whistle has been housed in the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North since 16 April 1969 when they held their inaugural function, having been given by Stan Dean, who for many years was the chairman of the NZRFU and manager of the 1924/25 All Blacks. Rugby in South Africa Rugby in South Africa Tweet on Twitter Rugby is one of South Africa’s big three sports, alongside soccer and cricket. For the many South African fans of the game, rugby is a serious matter, a source of bursting pride and joy – or shattering disappointment. The country has traditionally fared extremely well on the world stage, and South African fans expect their national team to win every game it plays. To help your understanding, here’s a quick guide to the game of rugby in South Africa: The changing face of South African rugby Sport, like no other South African institution, has shown it has the power to heal old wounds.

When the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup on home turf in 1995, Nelson Mandela donned the No 6 shirt of the team’s captain – Francois Pienaar, a white Afrikaner – and the two embraced in a spontaneous gesture of racial reconciliation that melted hearts around the country. A single moment, and 400 years of colonial strife and bitterness … suddenly seemed so petty. For the disadvantaged people of the old apartheid South Africa, rugby was the white man’s game, and even more so the game of the Afrikaner. Traditionally, most communities of colour played soccer while, for white communities, rugby was the winter sport of choice. Things have changed in South Africa since 1994, however, and the South African Rugby Football Union has been working hard to make rugby the game of all South Africans, mainly through an active development programme throughout the country. At provincial age-group levels, players of colour are playing an increasingly prominent role as the development programme and the quota system begin to bear fruit.

Through the quota system, players of colour are being given the opportunity to compete at the higher levels of the game, and a growing number are showing that they belong there by securing places in Super 14 teams and – the highest honour for a South African rugby player – in the Springbok side. The Springboks The Springboks are the national rugby team and traditionally one of the sport’s international powerhouses. Every talented South African youngster dreams of one day wearing “the green and gold”. The Boks have an outstanding international scoresheet, and for many years enjoyed a winning record against all other nations, until a slight slump in performances after South Africa’s return from international isolation in 1992. New Zealand’s All Blacks now hold a slight edge in head-to-head meetings with the Springboks, but the South Africans retain a winning record against all other countries. There have been five big highlights since South Africa’s return from international isolation. The first of these took place in 1995 when the country hosted rugby’s biggest tournament, the World Cup.

The Springboks made it through to the final at Ellis Park where, spurred on by a frenzied home crowd, and with the whole of South Africa willing them on, they trumped the All Blacks 15-12 in extra time to lift the sport’s most coveted trophy. The Boks’ display, opening with a win over defending champions Australia and finishing with victory over favourites New Zealand, united the country, bringing people of all colours together just a year after South Africa’s first democratic elections. The second highlight occurred in 1998, when South Africa broke New Zealand’s hold on the Tri-Nations, a competition that matches up the “big three” of the southern hemisphere, with Australia completing the trio. The Kiwis had won the first two competitions without losing a match, but Gary Teichmann’s 1998 side showed spirit and poise in winning all four of their matches to lift the title for the first time. The third highlight included the Springboks’ 1998 Tri-Nations title and went beyond it.

It was a run of 17 victories in succession, equalling the world record run by New Zealand between 1965 and 1970 (which, appropriately, was halted by South Africa). During their 1997/98 run, South Africa defeated Australia, New Zealand, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy – all of them, with the exception of Italy, teams rated amongst the world’s elite. After a rough period, during which Springbok coaches came and went with alarming rapidity, Jake White was appointed coach in 2003. He would go on to lead the team in more matches than any other Springbok coach. He was also at the helm when the fourth great highlight was achieved. In October 2007, South Africa beat England 15-6 in the final of the World Cup in Paris, after advancing through the tournament unbeaten, to join Australia as the only two-time winner of the William Webb Ellis Trophy. Not long afterwards, Jake White was named International Rugby Board (IRB) Coach of the Year and Bryan Habana IRB Player of the Year.

The Springboks were named IRB Team of the Year and, at the Laureus Sports Awards in February 2008, World Sports Team of the Year. The following year they captured their third Tri-Nations title, defeating the All Blacks three times on their way to the title. They also beat the British and Irish Lions 2-1 in a three-match series. In New Zealand, in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks won all of their pool matches, defeating Wales, Namibia, Fiji, and Samoa. They exited the tournament at the quarterfinals stage, falling 11-9 to Australia, which, incredibly, was the sole statistic they trailed the Wallabies by when the match was over. Tri-Nations The Tri-Nations was an annual competition that took place in July and August from 1996 to 2011 to decide the top international team in the southern hemisphere. The competition was born of a demand for more regular competition between the southern hemisphere superpowers following the success of the 1995 World Cup.

Between them, the three competing countries – New Zealand, South Africa and Australia – have won six out of the seven World Cups contested since 1987, so to be crowned Tri-Nations champion was a great honour. Tri-Nations champions: 1996: New Zealand The Rugby Championship In 2012, the Tri-Nations competition was expanded to include Argentina and became known as the Rugby Championship. Reigning World Cup champions, New Zealand, became the first winners of the new competition. The Rugby Championship champions: 2013: New Zealand Super Rugby The Super Rugby competition features 15 regional teams from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, with each country providing five teams. The forerunner of the competition was the Super 10, contested by provincial teams from the three countries as well as Samoa in 1993 and 1994 and Tonga in 1995. In 1996, the competition became the Super 12, featuring provincial and regional teams from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, with the Tongans and Samoans falling out. Two more teams were added in 2006 and it became the Super 14.

The Super Rugby competition begins in February and runs through until August. Five South African teams are selected from the Sharks (made up of players from the Natal Sharks), the Stormers (made up of players from Western Province and Boland), the Cheetahs (made up of players from the Cheetahs, Griquas and Griffons), the Lions (made up of players from the Lions, Pumas and Leopards), the Bulls (made up of players from the Blue Bulls and Falcons) and the Southern Kings (made up of players from the Kings, Bulldogs and Eagles) Back in 1993, the team then known as Transvaal (now the Lions) beat New Zealand team Auckland to win the first Super 10 competition. But it was to be a long wait for local fans for the next South African Super rugby winner: until 2007, when the Bulls scored a converted try after the final hooter to sneak a 20-19 win against the Sharks in Durban. Super Rugby champions: 1993: Transvaal (SA) Currie Cup The Currie Cup, the premier provincial rugby competition in South Africa, was first contested in 1892.

The format of the Currie Cup varied from year to year, and finals were held intermittently until 1968, after which the final became an annual event. Up to and including 2011, the most successful province in the history of the Currie Cup is Western Province with 32 titles (four shared), followed by the Blue Bulls with 23 (four shared), the Lions with 10 (one shared), the Natal Sharks with six, and the Cheetahs with four (one shared). Other teams that have lifted the trophy include Griquas (three times) and Border (twice, both shared). For many years the biggest rivalry in South African rugby was between Western Province and the Blue Bulls. During the early to mid-1990s this was superseded by a three-way rivalry between Natal, the Lions and Western Province. The Blue Bulls have returned to Currie Cup prominence, however, while the Free State Cheetahs won three titles in succession, from 2005 to 2007, including sharing the Currie Cup with the Blue Bulls in 2006. The Currie Cup takes place roughly between July and October.

The format divides 14 teams into eight Premier Division and six First Division teams. The teams, in alphabetical order, are: Blue Bulls, Boland Cavaliers, Border Bulldogs, Eagles, Falcons, Free State Cheetahs, Golden Lions, Griffons, Griquas, Leopards, Mighty Elephants, Natal Sharks, Pumas and Western Province. Currie Cup champions (since 1994): 2013: Natal Sharks 1994: Transvaal Vodacom Cup The Vodacom Cup has become an important competition on the South African rugby calendar. It takes place at the same time as the Super 14 competition – starting in late February and finishing in mid-May – and thus creates a platform for talented young players who might otherwise not get a chance to make their mark. It has also been a fertile breeding ground for strong players from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, thanks to the enforcement of quotas. Quotas, successfully implemented lower down, now extend through the higher levels of South African rugby, including the Super 14.

The Vodacom Cup is divided into two sections – North and South – with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals and playing cross-section matches of one- versus-two for a place in the final. The North is made up of the Griffons, Pumas, Golden Lions, Griquas, Blue Bulls, Leopards XV, Valke, and the Limpopo Blue Bulls. The South’s teams are the Sharks XV, Free State XV, Western Province, Tusker Simba XV (Kenya), SWD Eagles, EP Kings, Boland Cavaliers, and Border. Since the first Vodacom Cup season in 1998, up to and including 2014, the Golden Lions have won four titles, including a hat-trick from 2002 to 2004, while Griquas have also claimed four titles. The Golden Lions have taken the honours on five occasions, while there have also been titles for and Blue Bulls , the Falcons, Western Province, Griqualand West, Free State Cheetahs and Argentina’s Pampas XV.

Vodacom Cup champions: World Cup Host Countries World Cup Host Countries World Cup Host Countries The Host Countries for the FIFA World Cup from 1930 to 2022 A young South African fan joins in the fun at the Waterfront on June 16, 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa. South Africa was the World Cup host country in 2010. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Geography Expert By Matt Rosenberg Held every four years, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup is held in a different host country. The World Cup is the major international soccer (football) competition, consisting of the nationally recognized men's soccer team from each country. The World Cup has been held in a host country every four years since 1930, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War. FIFA's executive committee selects the host country for each FIFA World Cup. The 2018 and 2022 World Cup host countries, Russia and Qatar respectively, were selected by the FIFA executive committee on December 2, 2010.

Note that the World Cup is held in even numbered years that are the interval years of the Summer Olympic Games (although the World Cup now matches the four-year cycle of the Winter Olympic Games). Also, unlike the Olympic Games, the World Cup is hosted by a country and not a specific city, as is the Olympic Games. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance The following is a listing of the FIFA World Cup host countries from 1930 to 2022... World Cup Host Countries International Rugby World Cup Timeline 1983-2011 | South African History Online South African History Online Home » International Rugby World Cup Timeline 1983-2011 International Rugby World Cup Timeline 1983-2011 Related articles International Rugby World Cup The involvement of the South African national rugby team, the Springboks, in international rugby is rife with controversy. In the 1960s, as international criticism of apartheid grew, the Springboks became increasingly isolated in the international arena as they were seen as representatives of the apartheid government.

The 1976 All Blacks (New Zealand's national rugby team) tour of South Africa, which occurred shortly after the Sharpeville Massacre, attracted strong international condemnation that resulted in 28 countries boycotting the 1976 Summer Olympics. In 1977, the Commonwealth signed the Gleneagles Agreement which discouraged any sporting contact with South Africa which resulted in cancellations such as the 1979 Springbok tour of France. However, when the 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand went ahead, in defiance of the Gleneagles Agreement, the International Rugby Board (IRB) banned South Africa from all international competitions until apartheid ended. As a result, the Springboks could not participate in the 1987 and 1991 Rugby World Cup. After the legal apparatus of apartheid was abolished in the early 1990s South Africa was readmitted into international rugby in 1992. On 23 March 1992, the South African Rugby Football Union was formally established with the merging of the non-racial South African Rugby Union and the South African Rugby Board.

In 2005 the unified body changed its name to the South African Rugby Union (SARU). The history of the Rugby World Cup dates back to the 1980s with rugby becoming the last major sport to stage a tournament of this magnitude. 1983 March, The IRB discusses the idea of a Rugby World Cup but the idea is dismissed as the ‘concept found no support.’ This is mainly due to the fact the IRB did not want the tournament to be commercially run. June, At an emergency meeting, Australia proposes a World Cup with itself as host. 1984 March, New Zealand puts forward its case to host a World Cup. The IRB instigates a World Cup feasibility study. 1 December, New Zealand and Australia form a joint working committee and begin a feasibility study. 1985 20-21 March, The IRB meets in Paris. A vote takes place as to whether a World Cup should be held. The World Cup is approved 10 votes to 6 and Australia and New Zealand would host the inaugural cup in 1987. It is decided it would be held every four years.

1987 22 May-20 June, The first Rugby World Cup is hosted by Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand wins the tournament 29-9 against France and is awarded the Web Ellis Cup . 1991 3 October-2 November, The Rugby World Cup is hosted by the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. Australia defeats England 12-6 at Twickenham and wins the tournament. 1995 25 May-24 June, The Rugby World Cup is staged in South Africa; for the first time that all matches would be played in one country. South Africa participates in the tournament for the first time, following the end of their international sports boycott due to the apartheid regime. South Africa wins the tournament, defeating New Zealand 15-12 in the final at Ellis Park. 1999 1 October- 6 November, The Rugby World Cup is hosted by Wales with matches played in four countries, namely England, France, Scotland and Ireland. The number of teams participating increased from 16 to 20. The Final is played at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, and is won by Australia who beat France 35-12.

2003 10 October-22 November, The Rugby World Cup takes place in Australia. The initial plan was to co-host it with New Zealand, but disagreements surfaced over scheduling and signage of match venues, which led to Australia hosting it alone. The World Cup is won by England after they defeat Australia 20-17 at Telstra Stadium, Sydney. 2007 7 September-20 October, The Rugby World Cup is hosted by France, with matches also being played in Wales and Scotland. It is won by South Africa who beat England 15-6 at Stade de France, Saint-Denis. South Africa becomes the second country to win the World Cup twice. 2011 9 September-23 October, The World Cup is held in New Zealand. Russia replaces Portugal and particpates for the first time. South Africa is eliminated after losing to Australia, 11-9, in the quarter-finals. New Zealand defeats France 8-7 in the final.

References: The Early History of Rugby in South Africa | South African History Online South African History Online Home » The Early History of Rugby in South Africa The Early History of Rugby in South Africa Related articles Timeline of the History of Rugby in South Africa Prior to the passage of apartheid laws both Black and White South Africans played rugby, albeit separately. After the onset of apartheid Black South Africans were segregated from their White countrymen and denied access to rugby pitches and training facilities. During South Africa's hosting of the Rugby World Cup in 1995 Nelson Mandela used the sport and the Springbok symbol to help overcome the legacy of apartheid. This article traces how race relations in South Africa influenced the trajectory of the sport from its inception in 1862 to the present. On 21 August 1862 the headmaster of Bishop's College Canon George Ogilvie organized the first official rugby match in South Africa. The match took place at Green Point in Cape Town and was played between the Army and the Civil service. Only White South Africans participated that day - both British and Afrikaners. In 1906-1907 South Africa fielded its first national rugby team on a tour of the British Isles.

The all-White team was composed of Afrikaners and British colonial South Africans. The tour helped erase ill-will that had existed between the two groups since the bloody Anglo-Boer war of 1899-1902. The English media referred to the team as the Springboks - an anglicized version of the team's self entitled Afrikaans nickname, the Springbokken. Participation in rugby was not limited to White South Africans for long. By the late nineteenth century some Blacks had adopted rugby as an element of their identity. In 1896 a celebration was held in honour of H.C. Msikinya for his acceptance into Wilberforce University. At the party Msikinya listed his membership in the Rovers Rugby Football club amongst his various social accomplishments. Black rugby match, date unknown. Source: Paul Weinberg collection. Permission: Soon after White South Africans formed rugby's first official governing bodies Black South Africans followed suit. In 1889 the Whites-only South African Rugby Board was founded. Eight years later the South African Coloured Rugby Football Board was founded to organize and oversee club matches between Black South Africans at the regional level.

Rugby played an important role in weakening the divisions between various Black religious groups in the Cape. Matches drew women, men and children from different religious backgrounds as spectators. Community members collaborated with one another and raised money for their respective clubs through activities such as dances. Matches also engendered a sense of mutual respect amongst players for the toughness and bravery of their opponents, even though club membership was strictly divided along religious lines. From the outset rugby brought South Africans together. Just half a decade after the British had thrown Afrikaners into concentration camps - during the Anglo-Boer War - the two groups played alongside one another under the Springbok banner. The sport also facilitated social interaction amongst the various religious groups of the country's Black inhabitants. Early on rugby demonstrated a capacity to heal wounds and establish commonalities amongst South Africans. However at times rugby's unifying capacity was ignored and South Africans chose instead to use the sport as an instrument of oppression. During much of the twentieth century rugby in South Africa was hi-jacked and the sport's healing powers were forgotten. Racist ideology and legislation prevented White and Black South Africans from playing the game together until 1976, when the apartheid regime took its reluctant first steps toward sporting reform.

Even after the reforms of 1976 Black South Africans faced unofficial barriers to sporting equality such as limited access to training facilities and inadequate nutrition. Rugby’s role in early South African history was ambiguous. At times the sport brought seemingly disparate South Africans together. At other times the sport reinforced barriers between South Africans, necessitating the formation of two racially segregated governing bodies. One thing about rugby in South Africa would become clear throughout the course of its history. Rugby did not unify or divide the country's inhabitants so much as the meanings attached to it. And no group attached more meaning to rugby than the Afrikaners. Rugby and the Springbok Symbol in Afrikaner Identity and Politics Throughout the first half of the nineteenth century rugby and the Springbok symbol became linked to Afrikaner nationalism and politics. Afrikaners viewed the success of the Springboks in international test play as a reflection of their accomplishments as a civilization. The Afrikaner love of the team enabled former players to use their sporting stature to launch into politics, and nearly all former Springboks supported the National Party – the eventual architects of apartheid.

Many Springboks and National Party members were also associated with an organization called the Broederbond. The Broederbond was a secret brotherhood of male Afrikaners whose sole aim was to advance the well being of their people. The group played a crucial role in mobilizing Afrikaners during the months leading up to the National Party's victory in the national elections of 1948. Upon their election the National Party - with the unofficial support of the Broederbond - extended the exclusive policies of apartheid into the Springbok program. In 1950 the National Party passed the Group Areas Act defining the separate geographic areas within which different South African racial groups could reside. Three years later they passed the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, effectively segregating all public areas in South Africa – including rugby pitches. Springboks,1965. Source: Museum Africa Permission: Segregation along racial boundaries denied Black South Africans access to the top level facilities and training that would enable them to represent South Africa in a Springbok jersey. This effect was surely intentional. The National Party envisioned the Springbok symbol as a representation of the values and characteristics of the Afrikaner people.

In their minds allowing Black players to don the sacred jersey was a step toward the erosion of these values. The Springbok had come to symbolize more than rugby excellence to the hard-line Afrikaner – it had come to symbolize racial superiority. However, South African rugby's racist disposition was not able to maintain itself. Much like apartheid the sport faced mounting pressure to change from both the country's inhabitants and the international community. SAN-ROC and SACOS: Steps toward Sporting Reform in South Africa The South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SAN-ROC) was formed in 1963 - one year before the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The group decried the fact that only Whites were allowed to represent South Africa at the Olympics and called for a boycott of the country from the 1964 games. SAN-ROC's agitation for non-racial sport within South Africa made them a target. The group's first president Dennis Brutus was jailed on Robben Island and several of its subsequent leaders were either killed or imprisoned by the apartheid regime. Their sacrifices were not in vain. South Africa was suspended from the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo by the International Olympic Committee as a result of its apartheid policies.

In 1970 all Blacks within South Africa had their national citizenships revoked by the enacting of the Bantu Homeland Citizens Act. The act replaced Black South Africans' national citizenships with forced citizenship of the Bantustan designated to their respective ethnic group. In response to increasing internal pressure the apartheid regime extended multi-nationalism to the club level in 1976. The reform meant that Blacks with Bantustan citizenship were officially allowed to participate in the same sporting organizations as whites - pending special permission. However, few did. Even after the reforms of 1976 Blacks in South Africa faced significant barriers to sporting equality. Many did not have transportation to the remote facilities where Whites trained. Many more were too malnourished to practice with the same intensity as the well-fed Whites. In 1973 the South African Council on Sport (SACOS) was formed. The group called for sporting reform on a domestic level, advocating non-racial – as opposed to multi-national – development of sport. SACOS argued that the reform of 1976 was a guise intended to appease the international community while maintaining separate racial development in sports. The group advocated for more fundamental change in South Africa.

Their slogan was 'No normal sport in an abnormal society.' SACOS leaders and members were persecuted by the apartheid regime's forces but never lost sight of their goal - colour blind sports development in South Africa. Groups such as SAN-ROC and SACOS represented important steps toward bringing about change in South Africa. Although they used sports as a medium, their message of fundamental equality for Black South Africans transcended all areas. The groups made clear to the apartheid regime that they would not be silenced by intimidation or force. Apartheid and Springbok Rugby's Path toward Crisis Rugby did not escape South Africa's apartheid-era sporting controversy. In 1965 the Springboks had a successful tour of New Zealand. After the tour Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd of the National Party announced that future New Zealand rugby teams visiting South Africa would not be allowed to include Maori players. The announcement was a slap in the face to the International Rugby Board (IRB) and New Zealand's rugby program. For these two groups, world class skill was the only prerequisite for representing one's country on the international stage.

If a Black South African or a Maori New Zealander were good enough to make their national squads, then they had every right to represent their country on the pitch. In response to Verwoerd's announcement New Zealand's national rugby team - the All Blacks - cancelled their scheduled 1967 tour of South Africa. New Zealand's cancellation of their South African tour prompted a shift in South African sporting policy in 1967. In an attempt to maintain rugby relations with international rivals, Prime Minister John Vorster proclaimed that the National Party would no longer prescribe rules about the racial composition of sports teams visiting South Africa. The announcement was controversial. It caused a faction of hard-line conservative Afrikaners to break away from the National Party and form a new political organization in 1969 - the Restored National Party. In a Congressional meeting that same year the party's first leader Albert Hertzog voiced his concern that the admission of Maori All Blacks into South Africa would lead to them dancing with Afrikaner girls at social events. These hard-line Afrikaners preferred to remain in sporting isolation than to allow Maori men a dance with their daughters.

South Africa's rugby leaders faced pressure from all sides during the 60's and 70's. The majority of the country's White inhabitants – save the hard-line Afrikaners mentioned above - were hungry for Springbok rugby. But many of the team's traditional rivals had drifted away as a result of South Africa's racist policies. The country's Black inhabitants saw the Springboks as a symbol of apartheid, and groups such as SACOS advocated for fundamental sporting reform within South Africa. Much like apartheid society Springbok rugby was on a path toward crisis. Apartheid and Springbok Rugby's International Isolation South Africa's rugby isolation reached its apex during the 1980's. In 1981 the Springboks toured New Zealand. Every match between the Springboks and All Blacks generated protest. Many New Zealanders had come to view the accommodation of a South African sports team as a step backward. They simply did not want their All Blacks competing against a nation stuck in a racist frame of mind. The second match between the Springboks and All Blacks was cancelled because hundreds of protestors occupied the pitch.

South Africa was banned from the IRB from 1984-1992 as a result of the country's continuation of apartheid policies. The tour of 1981 was the last official international test rugby the Springboks played until 1992. This meant the country was excluded from the first ever Rugby World Cup held in 1987. Even hard-line Afrikaners became increasingly frustrated at the international boycott of the Springboks. The former president of SACOS Norman Middleton accurately summed up the National Party's position on international rugby competition nearly a decade earlier; 'I don't think that the Government could care less about such sports as cricket and soccer. They don't really mean much to the true Afrikaner. Therefore the expulsion of the country from international competition doesn't mean too much. But rugby is different. Rugby is the Afrikaner's second religion.' (Middleton, 1976) South Africa's rugby isolation confronted Afrikaners with a paradox. Afrikaners saw Springbok success at the international level as a reflection of their superiority as a people.

However, the Springboks were no longer able to demonstrate that superiority so long as Afrikaners continued to treat Black South Africans as inferior. The world around and within South Africa was changing but the country's government continued to hold the nation in a stagnant past. South African rugby was suffering the burden of the historic symbols that had been attached to it. The Springbok was in need of rehabilitation. In 1988 - as the centenary of the SARB loomed - Springbok rugby leaders Danie Craven and Louis Luyt knew that change was necessary. They organized meetings with representatives of both the non-racial South African Rugby Union and the African National Congress (ANC) to discuss the future trajectory of the sport. After three years of negotiations the groups came to an agreement and formed the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) on 19 January 1992. South Africa had finally established a unified, non-racial governing body for rugby. Although rugby was now governed by a non-racial body, perceptions of the game did not change over night. Black South Africans still viewed the Springbok as a symbol of apartheid. Afrikaners still viewed it as a symbol of their racial superiority.

These perceptions were reinforced in 1992 when the Springboks faced the All Blacks at Ellis Park stadium for their first international rugby match in eight years. Afrikaner fans waved old South African flags and sung the apartheid anthem Die Stem. It would take both the visionary leadership of Nelson Mandela and a bit of sporting fortune to rally the rainbow nation behind rugby. The 1995 Rugby World Cup: Rugby as a Road to Racial Reconciliation On 27 April 1994 South Africa held its first all-race elections. The 1994 elections marked the end of apartheid and the country's transition into a full democracy. It was a time of uncertainty for all South Africans. The young nation sought to establish a new direction but many questions remained unanswered. How could South Africa's various races unite under a single banner with the wounds of apartheid still festering? How could Black South Africans rise above the legacy of a political system that had oppressed them for so long? The first steps toward the answer of these questions required the leadership of one of history's most incredible individuals. In April 1994 Nelson Mandela was elected as South Africa's first Black president.

His inauguration took place on 10 May 1994 in the capital city of Pretoria. From 1964-1990 Mandela had been imprisoned by the apartheid regime for his involvement with the ANC. Ironically, this made him the perfect candidate to lead South Africa towards racial reconciliation. Mandela had an almost divine capacity for forgiveness. A man who had been imprisoned for nearly three decades - for standing up for the basic human rights of his people – called upon Black South Africans to embrace their historic oppressors. He urged all South Africans to look toward a rainbow future and move beyond their dark past. In 1992 the IRB awarded the1995 Rugby World Cup (RWC) to South Africa. Mandela seized the opportunity to work toward racial reconciliation. He collaborated with Springbok and SARFU leaders to initiate the 'one team, one country' campaign in the months leading up to the RWC. Black and White South Africans alike embraced the campaign. Throughout the tournament South Africans of all races painted their faces in the colours of the new flag and cheered on the Springboks – who Mandela referred to as 'our boys'.

Rugby World Cup, 24 June 1995. Source: Grant Levarsh/Eimage Agency.Permission: The Springboks were not the tournament favourites. However, after several hard fought matches the team made it to the finals against their old rivals the All Blacks. On 24 June 1995 the final match took place between the two teams at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg. The Springboks emerged victorious, narrowly defeating the All Blacks with a drop-goal in extra time. Nelson Mandela appeared wearing a Springboks cap and jersey before a roaring crowd of 60 000 fans and presented Springbok captain Francois Peinaar with the Ellis Cup. When asked by a reporter about the South African fan support in the stadium Peinaar replied, 'we didn't have 60 000 South Africans, we had 43 million South Africans'. (Peinaar, 1995) The 1995 RWC was the ultimate rehabilitation of the Springbok. Mandela led all South Africans to a full embrace of a symbol that had once embodied the values of apartheid.

Through rugby and the Springbok symbol he demonstrated to the world South Africa's capacity to change. Mandela did not change the game of rugby or the Springbok symbol themselves, he changed the meanings attached to them. Whether his incredible feat led to permanent change remains a subject of debate. The Ambiguous Future of Rugby in South Africa After the 1995 RWC there rose the question of whether South Africans would continue to rally around rugby when the eyes of the world were no longer upon them. The tournament was undoubtedly a magical moment in South African history, but just over a year later there was an unfortunate indication that Springbok leaders were still stuck in a racist past. In February of 1997 a taped conversation between Springbok coach Andre Markgraaff and former player Andre Bester was aired by the South African Broadcasting Corporation. In the tape Markgraaff referred to the Senior Vice President of the SARFU Mululeki George as a 'fucking kaffir' - an incredibly derogatory racial slur. More recently accusations have risen of school age Black rugby players being called 'dogs' as they run out onto the pitch. There aren't any events on the horizon right now.

Sorry, we have no categories listed at this time. Rugby World Cup Schedule Every four years rugby fans across the globe come together to cheer on their country's national rugby team during the Rugby World Cup. The tournament was first held in 1987 with Australia and New Zealand as co-hosts and has been held in different countries every four years ever since. During the last Rugby World Cup in 2011 New Zealand again hosted the event and this time the host country emerged as world champions following a victory over France. In the fall of 2015 all of the top rugby teams in the Rugby World Cup looking to win the coveted William Webb Ellis Cup. This is the biggest event in the sport so be sure to get your tickets for the Rugby World Cup from StubHub as soon as possible because they will surely be flying off the shelves. Read More Rugby World Cup Schedule Every four years rugby fans across the globe come together to cheer on their country's national rugby team during the Rugby World Cup. The tournament was first held in 1987 with Australia and New Zealand as co-hosts and has been held in different countries every four years ever since.

During the last Rugby World Cup in 2011 New Zealand again hosted the event and this time the host country emerged as world champions following a victory over France. In the fall of 2015 all of the top rugby teams in the Rugby World Cup looking to win the coveted William Webb Ellis Cup. This is the biggest event in the sport so be sure to get your tickets for the Rugby World Cup from StubHub as soon as possible because they will surely be flying off the shelves. The 2015 Rugby World Cup will be played throughout England with warm-up games being played from Saturday, August 8th through Saturday, September 5th. The Rugby World Cup officially gets underway on Friday, September 18th with the host team England taking on Fiji in the first match. Action continues through the end of October with the quarterfinals beginning on October 17th and being played on the 17th and 18th at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and at Twickenham Stadium in London.

The semifinals will be played on October 24th and 25th at Twickenham Stadium with the losers playing in the third place game on October 30th at Twickenham Stadium and the winners going on to the championship match at Twickenham Stadium on October 31st. Fans from all over the world will be making their way to England to see the biggest event in the world of rugby and you will want to be there right alongside them rather than watching from home so you can help cheer your country's national team on to victory and go out and celebrate a big win in the pubs afterwards. The Experience There are few events as exciting as seeing a national rugby team compete at home against another country. The men on the team have trained their whole lives to be named to the squad and now that they finally have the opportunity to represent their country and play with and against the best rugby players in the world they are determined not to let either their country or their teammates down. Rugby is the one of the most popular sports in the world and gives birth to the most fervent and dedicated fans. One step into a stadium when the local national team is playing and you will understand what all of the fuss is about.

Unrelenting action, otherworldly athleticism, stunning runs and passes, and mind blowing, bone jarring hits will have you seeing exactly why rugby has won the hearts of millions of die hard fans all over the world. You will be chanting and singing along and barely even need to use your seat as move after move will have you jumping up and cheering for the home country. Perhaps at no other time will you have felt so proudly to cheer for your home country and felt patriotism as deeply as when you are in the stadium with thousands of fellow countrymen cheering on the national team. The Event The Rugby World Cup is the biggest event in the sport and there is no better place to be every for years if you are a rugby fan than inside one of the stadiums to watch your favorite team go to battle for national pride and a shot at winning the William Webb Ellis Cup. The tournament is hosted by World Rugby and invites the 20 best teams that are members of the International Rugby Board to take part. The tournament originally was made up of 16 teams but expanded to 20 in 1999.

The International Rugby Board Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, the International Rugby Board boasts 100 full fledged members along with 18 associate members. The group was founded in 1886 but did not use the name IRB until 1998. Every four years the International Rugby Board organizes the Rugby World Cup, but it also hosts several other popular international tournaments including the IRB Sevens World Series, the Junior World Championships, and the Pacific Nations Cup. The members are divided among six regional associations, representing each of the six participating continents. Trivia The Rugby World Cup awards the winner the William Web Ellis Cup to the champion. The trophy is named after William Webb Ellis who is said to have invented rugby by picking up the ball during a soccer game at the Rugby School and running around the field with it. New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa have all won the Rugby World Cup twice while England is the only other country to have won the William Web Ellis Cup, having done so once.

Question: Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country?
Answer: South Africa