Who won the last Rugby World Cup? Previous rugby union world champions

Dom Farrell

Who won the last Rugby World Cup? Previous rugby union world champions image

Hosts France get the Rugby World Cup under way in Paris on September 8, with New Zealand the opposition for what promises to be a barnstorming encounter.

France will look to make home advantage count, while Six Nations Grand Slam winners Ireland appear primed to push for success.

However, New Zealand and their fellow southern hemisphere heavyweights Australia and South Africa have previously been the dominant forces at the World Cup.

Indeed, the first game of the 2023 tournament is a re-run of the inaugural final from 1987. Here’s how that game and the eight subsequent finals played out.

MORE: Rugby World Cup 2023 bracket: Draw, results, route to final in France

Rugby World Cup winners and tournament history

Year Hosts Winners Final score Runners-up Bronze medal Fourth place
1987 Australia/New Zealand New Zealand 29-9 France Wales Australia
1991 Five Nations countries Australia 12-6 England New Zealand Scotland
1995 South Africa South Africa 15-12 (a.e.t.) New Zealand France England
1999 Wales (plus Five Nations countries Australia 35-12 France South Africa New Zealand
2003 Australia England 20-17 (a.e.t.) Australia New Zealand France
2007 France South Africa 15-6  England Argentina France
2011 New Zealand New Zealand 8-7 France Australia Wales
2015 England New Zealand 34-17 Australia South Africa Argentina
2019 Japan South Africa 32-12 England New Zealand Wales

Who has won the most Rugby World Cup titles

A semifinal defeat to England four years ago thwarted New Zealand's bid for an unprecedented three titles in a row.

The All Blacks remain the only nation to have won back-to-back World Cups, although if South Africa match this achievement in France they will go out in front on the all-time list as four-time winners.

England are the only European nation to win the Rugby World Cup – meaning three-time beaten finalists France are chasing a maiden triumph on home soil.

Despite their current prowess, Ireland have never reached the semifinals in their history, a wrong Andy Farrell's side will be determined to right this time around.

Team Champions Runners-up Third Fourth
New Zealand 3: 1987, 2011, 2015 1: 1995 3: 1991, 2003, 2019 1: 1999
South Africa 3: 1995, 2007, 2019 2: 1999, 2015
Australia 2: 1991, 1999 2: 2003, 2015 1: 2011 1: 1987
England 1: 2003 3: 1991, 2007, 2019 1: 1995
France 3: 1987, 1999, 2011 1: 1995 2: 2003, 2007
Wales 1: 1987 2: 2011, 2019
Argentina 1: 2007 1: 2015 
Scotland 1: 1991

How to watch Rugby World Cup on TV

TV networks worldwide will be showing all 48 matches at the tournament live, including many on free-to-air television.

Country TV Channel
USA NBC
Canada TSN
United Kingdom ITVX
Australia Stan
New Zealand Sky GO
Singapore beIN Sports
Hong Kong beIN Sports
Malaysia beIN Sports
India SuperSport

How to watch Rugby World Cup online

On social platforms alone, video content from the Rugby World Cup and organisers World Rugby drew more than 2.1 billion views in 2019 – almost six times the previous figure.

The tournament also has its own app, delivering highlights, news and more across the seven weeks of action.

Country Streaming
USA Peacock
Canada TSN+
United Kingdom ITVX
Australia Stan
New Zealand Sky GO
Singapore beIN Sports
Hong Kong beIN Sports
Malaysia beIN Sports
India SuperSport

Dom Farrell

Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.