Quarterfinals down the years

WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: At the first eight tournaments, 12 countries have reached quarterfinals.

This year a new country has got there and done really well in getting there.

It is Japan, the host nation.

Japan has been to all nine Rugby World Cups. At the first seven it won just one match – beating Zimbabwe in 1991 but it also drew with Canada in 2007 and again in 2011. Then came the glory of 2015 and that win over South Africa in Brighton. That year Japan won three of its four matches but failed to make the quarterfinals as Scotland, who had also lost a match, had two bonus points which Japan did not have and South Africa recovered well to top the pool.

This year Japan made no mistake. They won all four of their matches, beating Ireland, Scotland, Samoa and Russia, and they did so play most attractive rugby.

Four countries have always reached the quarterfinals of the World Cups in which they have taken part. No country has won all of its quarterfinal matches.

The four who have always reached the quarterfinal are Australia, France, New Zealand and South Africa.

New Zealand have lost one of their eight appearances in quarterfinal, Australia and France each two out of eight and South Africa two out of six.

New Zealand lost to France in 2007 and were nationwide furious with the referee. Australia lost in 1995 and 2007, France in 1991 and 2015 and South Africa in 2003 and 2011 when they were nationwide furious with the referee.

England have made seven quarterfinals, but – to nationwide horror – missed out in 2015 when they were the hosts.

Like England, Scotland have made seven quarterfinals but won only once, in 1991.

Wales and Argentina have each won twice, Argentina faring best in that they reached the semifinal in 2007.

Ireland have got to the semifinal six times but lost on all six occasions. Others who have got to the quarterfinals and not won are Fiji (twice), Samoa (twice), and Canada (once).

* Continue reading below …

Quarterfinal Results Down the Years

1987

These were played in New Zealand and Australia in June, the middle of winter.

New Zealand vs Scotland, 30–3 at Lancaster Park, Christchurch
Australia vs Ireland, 33–15 at Concord Oval, Sydney
France vs Fiji, 31-16 at Eden Park, Auckland
Wales vs England, 16-3 at Ballymore, Brisbane

1991

These were played in France, Ireland and Scotland in October.

England vs France, 19-10 at Parc des Princes, Paris
Scotland vs Western Samoa, 28-6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Australia vs Ireland, 19-18 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
New Zealand vs Canada, 29-13 at Stadium Lille-Metropole, Villeneuve d’Ascq

1995

These were played in South Africa in June.

France vs Ireland, 36-12 at Kings Park, Durban
South Africa vs Western Samoa, 42-14 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg
England vs Australia, 25-22 at Newlands
New Zealand at Scotland, 48-30 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

1999

Wales were the hosts of this World Cup, played in October.

Australia vs Wales, 24-9 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
South Africa vs England, 44-21 at Stade de France, Paris
New Zealand vs Scotland, 30-18 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh
France vs Argentina, 47-26 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin

2003

These were played in Australia in November.

New Zealand vs South Africa, 29-9 at Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
Australia vs Scotland, 33-16 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
France vs Ireland, 43-21 at Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
England vs Wales, 28-17

2007

France were the hosts.

England vs Australia, 12-10 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
France vs New Zealand, 20-18 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
South Africa vs Fiji, 37-20 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Argentina vs Scotland, 19-13 at Stade de France, Saint-Denis

2011

This time it was New Zealand in October.

Wales vs Ireland, 22-10 at Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
France vs England, 19-12 at Eden Park, Auckland
Australia vs South Africa, 11-9 at Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
New Zealand vs Argentina, 33-10 at Eden Park, Auckland

2015

England hosted this Rugby World Cup in October.

South Africa vs Wales, 23-19 at Twickenham
New Zealand vs France 62-13 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Argentina vs Ireland, 43-20 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Australia vs Scotland, 35-34 at Twickenham

2019

This year’s quarterfinals are to be played in Japan in October.

England vs Australia at Oita Stadium, Japan
New Zealand vs Ireland at Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
Wales vs France at Oita Stadium, Japan
Japan vs South Africa at Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo, Japan

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