1900: Rugby Union Debuts at the Paris Olympics
Rugby union was first included in the Summer Olympics at the 1900 games in Paris.
1906: Creation of the Webb Ellis Cup
The Webb Ellis Cup was created in 1906 by Garrard's Crown Jewellers.
1908: Rugby Union at the London Olympics
The 1908 London Olympics marked the second time rugby union was included in the Summer Olympics.
1910: Home Nations Championship Becomes the Five Nations Championship
France joined the Home Nations Championship in 1910, leading to its renaming as the Five Nations Championship.
1920: Rugby Union at the Antwerp Olympics
The 1920 Antwerp Olympics featured rugby union for the third time.
1924: Rugby Union at the Paris Olympics
The 1924 Paris Olympics saw the last inclusion of rugby union in the Summer Olympics until its reinstatement in 2016.
1931: Five Nations Championship Reverts to Home Nations Championship
France ceased participation in the Five Nations Championship from 1931, leading to it reverting back to the Home Nations Championship.
1939: France Remains Absent from the Home Nations Championship
France continued to be absent from the tournament until 1939, during which time it was known as the Home Nations Championship.
1983: Australian Rugby Union Proposes a World Cup
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU), now known as Rugby Australia, proposed the idea of a Rugby World Cup in 1983.
1984: New Zealand Rugby Union Proposes a World Cup
A year following the ARU's proposal, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), now known as New Zealand Rugby, independently put forward a similar proposal for a Rugby World Cup in 1984.
1985: IRFB Approves the Rugby World Cup Proposal
After several previous attempts, the proposal for a Rugby World Cup was finally approved by the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) in 1985.
June 1987: New Zealand Wins the First Rugby World Cup
The first Rugby World Cup culminated with New Zealand's victory over France in June 1987, marking them as the first-ever champions.
1987: Co-hosting of the Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, demonstrating the tournament's ability to be hosted by multiple nations.
1987: Reported Television Audience for the Inaugural Rugby World Cup
The inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 reportedly drew a cumulative worldwide television audience of 300 million, according to World Rugby and its business partners.
1987: Inaugural Rugby World Cup
The first ever Rugby World Cup was held in 1987, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
1987: Sixteen Teams Participate in the Rugby World Cup
From its inception in 1987, the Rugby World Cup saw sixteen teams compete.
1987: Grant Fox Sets Record for Most Points in a Single Tournament
New Zealand's Grant Fox set a record for the most points scored in a single Rugby World Cup tournament, amassing an impressive 126 points in 1987.
1987: New Zealand Becomes First Host to Win
New Zealand achieved a historic feat in 1987 by becoming the first nation to both host and win the Rugby World Cup.
1987: Webb Ellis Cup Chosen for the Rugby World Cup
In 1987, the Webb Ellis Cup, named after William Webb Ellis, was chosen as the trophy to be awarded to the winners of the Rugby World Cup.
1987: Huw Richards Receives First Red Card in Rugby World Cup History
In 1987, Welsh lock Huw Richards became the first player to be sent off with a red card in a Rugby World Cup match, during a game against New Zealand.
1991: Reported Growth in Television Audience
The 1991 Rugby World Cup saw a significant increase in reported television viewership, reaching 1.75 billion viewers worldwide.
1991: England Finishes as Runner-Up
England, hosting the Rugby World Cup in 1991, finished as runners-up, showcasing the competitive nature of the tournament even for host nations.
1991: Japan's First World Cup Win Since 1991
Japan's victory over South Africa in 2015 marked their first win at a Rugby World Cup since 1991, highlighting their significant progress in the sport.
1991: Jason Leonard Begins Journey to Record for Most World Cup Matches
English player Jason Leonard made his Rugby World Cup debut in 1991, marking the beginning of his journey to playing in a record-breaking 22 World Cup matches.
1992: South Africa Returns to International Rugby
After an eight-year hiatus from official series, South Africa played a one-off test match against New Zealand in 1992, marking their return to international rugby following the dismantling of apartheid.
1995: All Blacks Set Record for Most Points in a Game
The All Blacks set a record for the highest score in a Rugby World Cup match, racking up an astounding 145 points against Japan in 1995.
1995: Sixteen Teams Participate in the Rugby World Cup
Until 1995, the Rugby World Cup continued to host sixteen teams.
1995: Rugby Turns Professional
The sport of rugby union transitioned to a professional model after the 1995 World Cup, a change that had significant implications for the game.
1995: Continued Growth in Television Audience
The reported television audience for the Rugby World Cup continued to rise in 1995, reaching 2.67 billion viewers globally.
1995: South Africa Wins on Home Soil
South Africa mirrored New Zealand's success by winning the Rugby World Cup on home turf in 1995.
1995: South Africa Wins the 1995 Rugby World Cup
South Africa hosted and won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, defeating New Zealand in a momentous final.
1995: Jonah Lomu Becomes Youngest Player to Appear in a Final
At the age of 20 years and 43 days, New Zealand's Jonah Lomu became the youngest player to feature in a Rugby World Cup final during the 1995 edition of the tournament.
1995: Marc Ellis Sets Record for Most Tries in a Match
All Black Marc Ellis etched his name in Rugby World Cup history by scoring a record-breaking six tries in a single match against Japan in 1995.
1999: Jonah Lomu Equals Record for Most Tries in a Tournament
Jonah Lomu showcased his exceptional try-scoring prowess in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, equalling the record for most tries in a single tournament with 8.
1999: Television Audience Reaches 3 Billion
The 1999 Rugby World Cup reportedly reached a global television audience of 3 billion, according to World Rugby and its partners.
1999: Wales Hosts the 1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was hosted by Wales, with matches also taking place across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France. The tournament saw an expansion to twenty participating nations, marking a significant change in the competition's structure.
1999: Millennium Stadium Constructed for the Rugby World Cup
The Millennium Stadium was purpose-built for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, highlighting how host nations often invest in infrastructure for the tournament.
1999: Rugby World Cup Expands to Twenty Teams
The Rugby World Cup expanded to twenty teams in 1999.
1999: Wales Reaches the Quarter-Finals
Wales, as hosts in 1999, reached the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, demonstrating a respectable performance on home soil.
2000: Five Nations Championship Becomes the Six Nations Championship
With the addition of Italy, the Five Nations Championship expanded to become the Six Nations Championship in 2000.
2003: Australia Achieves Largest Winning Margin
Australia achieved the largest winning margin in Rugby World Cup history by defeating Namibia by a staggering 142 points in 2003.
2003: Jason Leonard Sets Record for Most World Cup Matches
Jason Leonard of England created history in 2003 by becoming the player with the most Rugby World Cup match appearances, having competed in a remarkable 22 games across multiple tournaments.
2003: Lopsided Scores in the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cup tournaments, marked by the shift to professionalism and the increase in participating teams, saw several lopsided scores, highlighting the growing disparity between some of the competing nations.
2003: Qualifying Format for the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cup
The qualification process for the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups involved a two-tier system, with eight spots automatically allocated to the quarter-finalists from the previous tournament, and the remaining twelve positions filled through continental qualifying tournaments and a repechage system.
2003: Further Growth in Television Audience Reported
The reported global television audience for the Rugby World Cup grew to 3.5 billion for the 2003 tournament.
2003: Australia Ends as Runner-Up
Australia, the host nation of the 2003 Rugby World Cup, also ended the tournament as runners-up, demonstrating the challenges faced by hosts in securing victory.
November 2005: New Zealand Awarded 2011 Rugby World Cup Hosting Rights
New Zealand was selected to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup, beating out bids from Japan and South Africa.
2007: Qualifying Format for the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cup
The qualification process for the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups involved a two-tier system, with eight spots automatically allocated to the quarter-finalists from the previous tournament, and the remaining twelve positions filled through continental qualifying tournaments and a repechage system.
2007: Reported Television Audience Reaches 4 Billion
World Rugby and its partners reported a global television audience of 4 billion for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
2007: France Finishes Fourth
France, hosting the 2007 Rugby World Cup, achieved a fourth-place finish, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the tournament.
2007: South Africa Wins the 2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup, hosted by France, was won by South Africa, who defeated defending champions England in the final.
2007: Bryan Habana Equals Records for Most Tries in a Tournament and Overall
South Africa's Bryan Habana equalled Jonah Lomu's record of 8 tries in a single tournament at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, simultaneously equalling Lomu's record for most tries across multiple tournaments with 15.
2007: Methodology of Television Audience Estimates Questioned
In 2007, the methodology used to calculate the Rugby World Cup's television audience figures faced scrutiny, with independent reviews highlighting potential inconsistencies and raising doubts about the accuracy of the reported 4 billion viewers.
2011: Eden Park Upgraded for the Rugby World Cup
Eden Park underwent upgrades in preparation for hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup, exemplifying how existing facilities are often improved for the event.
2011: New Zealand Repeats as Host and Winner
New Zealand repeated their impressive achievement of 1987 by once again hosting and winning the Rugby World Cup in 2011.
2011: New Zealand Wins the 2011 Rugby World Cup
The All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, won the 2011 Rugby World Cup, defeating France in a closely contested final.
2015: Japan Upsets South Africa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup
The 2015 Rugby World Cup, hosted by England, saw a major upset when Japan defeated South Africa in a pool match.
2015: Richie McCaw Equals Record for Most World Cup Matches
New Zealand's Richie McCaw equaled Jason Leonard's record in 2015, playing in his 22nd Rugby World Cup match and solidifying his place as one of the tournament's most capped players.
2015: Julian Savea Equals Record for Most Tries in a Tournament
All Black Julian Savea joined the ranks of Jonah Lomu and Bryan Habana in 2015 by equalling their record of 8 tries in a single Rugby World Cup tournament.
2015: England Becomes First Solo Host Eliminated in Pool Stage
In 2015, England became the first solo host nation to be eliminated from the Rugby World Cup at the pool stage, marking a disappointing outcome for the home team.
2019: Japan: First Country Outside Traditional Rugby Nations to Host
Japan made history in 2019 by becoming the first country outside the traditional rugby nations of SANZAAR or the Six Nations to host the Rugby World Cup.
2019: Japan Reaches the Quarter-Finals
Japan, as the host nation in 2019, equalled Wales' achievement of 1999 by reaching the quarter-finals, further solidifying their status as an emerging rugby force.
2019: Japan Hosts the Rugby World Cup
The 2019 Rugby World Cup was hosted in Japan.
2019: 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan
The 2019 Rugby World Cup, hosted in Japan, marked the first time the tournament was held outside of traditional rugby nations. Japan achieved a historic milestone by winning all their pool matches, topping their group and advancing to the quarter-finals for the first time. South Africa won the tournament for the third time, defeating England 32-12 in the final, equalling New Zealand's record for most Rugby World Cup titles.
2021: Removal of Gender Designations from Rugby World Cup Titles
In 2021, a significant decision was made to remove gender designations from the men's and women's Rugby World Cup titles. All future tournaments, for both men and women, will officially be known as "Rugby World Cup."
2021: Women's Rugby Tournament Renamed to Rugby World Cup
To promote equality, the women's rugby tournament was officially renamed to Rugby World Cup in 2021.
2022: First Women's Tournament Affected by New Naming Policy
The 2022 women's tournament, held in New Zealand, became the first to be affected by the new naming policy, officially called "Rugby World Cup 2021" despite being postponed from its original schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2023: South Africa Wins the 2023 Rugby World Cup
South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 2023, defeating New Zealand in the final.
2023: Will Jordan Equals Record for Most Tries in a Tournament
Will Jordan, in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, joined the elite group of players who have scored 8 tries in a single tournament, equalling the record set by Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana, and Julian Savea.
2023: Record-Breaking Viewership for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
The 2023 Rugby World Cup achieved remarkable viewership figures, with a total of 1.33 billion viewing hours across all programming, making it the most watched rugby event in history.
2023: World Rugby Announces Revision to Tournament Naming Convention
At the end of the 2023 World Cup, World Rugby announced a change to the tournament naming convention, with all future tournaments to include "Men's" or "Women's" in the title.
2023: France Hosts the Rugby World Cup
France hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2023.
2023: France Hosts the Rugby World Cup
France hosted the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
2023: 26 Nations Qualify for Rugby World Cup Across 10 Tournaments
As of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, a total of 26 nations had qualified to compete in the tournament across its 10 editions.
2025: First Use of New Naming Convention for Women's Rugby World Cup
The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will be the first tournament to use the new naming convention.
2027: First Use of New Naming Convention for Men's Rugby World Cup
The 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup will be the first men's tournament to incorporate "Men's" into its title.
2027: Rugby World Cup to Expand to Twenty-Four Teams
The Rugby World Cup will expand to twenty-four teams in 2027 when it is hosted in Australia.
2031: United States to Host the Rugby World Cup
The United States is set to host the Rugby World Cup in 2031, marking another instance of the tournament being held outside the traditional rugby heartlands.