Planet Rugby Forum

No doubt easier for those of us who have never won a RWC.

But (if you can set aside patriotism), what have been the best RWC Finals in terms of quality and/or excitement. All took place during my adulthood.

The 9 finals to date. Rank them all in order.

1987 New Zealand 29–9 France
1991 Australia 12–6 England
1995 South Africa 15–12 New Zealand
1999 Australia 35–12 France
2003 England 20–17 Australia
2007 South Africa 15–6 England
2011 New Zealand 8–7 France
2015 New Zealand 34–17 Australia
2019 South Africa 32–12 England

For me:

1995, 2015, 2003, 1987, 2019, 1999, 2011, 1991, 2007

1995, 2003, 2015, 2011, 1987, 2019, 1999, 1991, 2007

The drawn/extra time finals have to be first. 2015 next best.

91, 99 and 07 had little drama and rank last for me. 99 best of that bunch as Aus played really well. 87 didn't have much drama but it was the first and the AB's won so I bump it up the list.

1995, 2003 .... gap ... 2011 .... gap ...1987, 2015, 1999, 2019, 1991 ....gap .... 2007

1995 and 2003 finals were top notch.

After that I'd have the 1991 (people forget how close that match actually was) and 2011 finals. The 2015, 1999 and 2019 finals all had an air of inevitability about them. The teams who won didn't look like losing at all.

The 2007 and 1987 finals come a solid last. One was between the two dullest teams in the competition and the other was a training run for the All Blacks.

I haven't seen all of them, but I can't imagine any final being duller than 2007.

That was only a few months after I got into the game. It's a miracle I stayed with it.

I agree with everyone else saying 2007 was the absolute worst. When Australia and NZ got done in the quarters it was struggling, then France gone in the semis there was no hope.

I can't comment on the 80s and 90s, but from what I saw...

2003, 2011, 2015, 2019, .............., 2007

Sensible Stephen wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:32 am I agree with everyone else saying 2007 was the absolute worst. When Australia and NZ got done in the quarters it was struggling, then France gone in the semis there was no hope.

I can't comment on the 80s and 90s, but from what I saw...

2003, 2011, 2015, 2019, .............., 2007

The 90s had the best run of finals, I reckon. 1991 was a rampaging Australian team against England who everyone expected to roll over. They didn't and went within a whisker of winning it. 1995 was chock full of drama finishing with a win to the good guys in extra time. 1999 was a tight game for about 60 minutes before Australia pulled away.

In order of best to worst.

2011 (tops 2015 for the sheer drama and intensity right to the final whistle)
2015 (the perfect ending for a dream team led by the two GOATs)
1987 (a magnificent AB team head and shoulders above the rest)
1995 (the right result even though it sucked)
2003 (loved it for the drama and for Johnny slotting the winning goal with his wrong foot)
2019 (first final that I have watched live)
1991
1999














2007 (I'm still trying to delete it from my memory)

1995 was chock full of drama finishing with a win to the good guys in extra time

There is a first time for everything.

Hate the two teams playing in it but surely 2003 is on top. Has everything, England are the bad guys, Australia are the love child of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden but you still want them to beat the bad guys. Jonny's drop goal. Extra time. Everything.

2007 was actual aids. Aids of the anus.

kiwigreg369 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:55 am

1995 was chock full of drama finishing with a win to the good guys in extra time

There is a first time for everything.

Everyone wanted the Rainbow Nation to win, bro. You guys were the bad guys. A SA win was a win for world peace and harmony.

Imagine what the world would have been like had it been the Orc-like visage of Sean Fitzpatrick being handed the trophy by Mandela. Yuck.

Thomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:05 am 1995 and 2003 finals were top notch.

After that I'd have the 1991 (people forget how close that match actually was) and 2011 finals. The 2015, 1999 and 2019 finals all had an air of inevitability about them. The teams who won didn't look like losing at all.

The 2007 and 1987 finals come a solid last. One was between the two dullest teams in the competition and the other was a training run for the All Blacks.

Sounds good to me, but I'd have 1987 in with 2015, 1999, 2019.

2007 was atrocious.

Thomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:18 am

kiwigreg369 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:55 am

1995 was chock full of drama finishing with a win to the good guys in extra time

There is a first time for everything.

Everyone wanted the Rainbow Nation to win, bro. You guys were the bad guys. A SA win was a win for world peace and harmony.

Imagine what the world would have been like had it been the Orc-like visage of Sean Fitzpatrick being handed the trophy by Mandela. Yuck.

Whilst not everyone wanted them to win i get your point.
Still struggling with the 'good guys' reference even in those circumstances - e.g. Louis Luyt.

kiwigreg369 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:51 am

Thomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:18 am

kiwigreg369 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:55 am

1995 was chock full of drama finishing with a win to the good guys in extra time

There is a first time for everything.

Everyone wanted the Rainbow Nation to win, bro. You guys were the bad guys. A SA win was a win for world peace and harmony.

Imagine what the world would have been like had it been the Orc-like visage of Sean Fitzpatrick being handed the trophy by Mandela. Yuck.

Whilst not everyone wanted them to win i get your point.
Still struggling with the 'good guys' reference even in those circumstances - e.g. Louis Luyt.

What position did he play?

1991 was my favourite, I had the great pleasure of watching the game on delay in Hong Kong with my British colleagues, having heard a direct to air radio commentary beforehand.

John Eales' tackle of Jeremy Guscott in the last couple of minutes was a thing of beauty. Has there been a better match-saving tackle ever?

Thomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:07 am

kiwigreg369 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:51 am

Thomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:18 am

kiwigreg369 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:55 am

1995 was chock full of drama finishing with a win to the good guys in extra time

There is a first time for everything.

Everyone wanted the Rainbow Nation to win, bro. You guys were the bad guys. A SA win was a win for world peace and harmony.

Imagine what the world would have been like had it been the Orc-like visage of Sean Fitzpatrick being handed the trophy by Mandela. Yuck.

Whilst not everyone wanted them to win i get your point.
Still struggling with the 'good guys' reference even in those circumstances - e.g. Louis Luyt.

What position did he play?

Maybe you should read Chester William's book and see just how many of the 'good guys ' really were good guys .

Magpie26 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:17 am
Maybe you should read Chester William's book and see just how many of the 'good guys ' really were good guys .

No thanks. I've made up my mind (and I've also seen Invictus. Great documentary).

South Africa were basically East Germany in yet another very good sports documentary, Escape To Victory.

Bad losers can never be the "good guys" - evah

2003
Daylight
1995
2011
1991
2015
2019
1999
1987
Daylight
2007

Monk Zombie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:38 am Bad losers can never be the "good guys" - evah

Every team and suporters have shown that. That's why we use Apartheid to split the really bad from the good guys.

mr bungle wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:49 am

Monk Zombie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:38 am Bad losers can never be the "good guys" - evah

Every team and suporters have shown that. That's why we use Apartheid to split the really bad from the good guys.

Saffas are getting over apartheid - boet - you should try it

You should also try giving credit to good players from other countries

Did you note my RWC final rankings?

Thomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:31 am

Magpie26 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:17 am
Maybe you should read Chester William's book and see just how many of the 'good guys ' really were good guys .

No thanks. I've made up my mind (and I've also seen Invictus. Great documentary).

Fair enough

I guess it always comes down to your criteria as to what makes a great final but for me if you are just talking about the best quality of rugby played then i would have 2015, 1999 and 1987 as my top three with 2007 as the worst

guy smiley wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:27 am

Monk Zombie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:54 am

mr bungle wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:49 am

Monk Zombie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:38 am Bad losers can never be the "good guys" - evah

Every team and suporters have shown that. That's why we use Apartheid to split the really bad from the good guys.

Saffas are getting over apartheid - boet - you should try it

You should also try giving credit to good players from other countries

RU OK Monk?

First daiquiri in hamd - don't intend venturing off the stoep today

So I am relatively OK thanks

I trust you are very well indeed

Don't remember pre 95 so ill start from 99.

2019 (loved every second of it)
2015
2003 (begrudgingly)

Daylight

1999
2011
2007

Hard to look past the two extra-time finals for sheer drama

But in terms of quality of rugby from both sides 2015 is a clear winner. A final that had plenty of tries including some nice end-to-end stuff, and wasn't dominated by set piece + defence

Did not see '87 and '91
1. 1995 - the Joel Stransky dropgoal and mr. Mandela lifting the WWE
2. 2003 - the Wilkinson drop , another extra time final
Then came 2015 - great rugby and the Australian fight back and 2019 - in Japan, the Springbok pack and Kolbe the finisher
followed by 2011 - so close, 2007 - Danie Rossouw's try-saving tackle on Mark Cueto and 1999 not a close game

ZuluBoy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 1:29 pm 6. 2015 and 1999 - they were a bit onesided on the scores although some good rugby in the 2015 and more competitive than the result shown

The scoreline in the 2015 final was at 21-17 going into the last 10 minutes of the game, and minutes 50-70 had been all Australia (14 unanswered points, coming back from 21-3 down)

openclashXX wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 12:08 pm Hard to look past the two extra-time finals for sheer drama

But in terms of quality of rugby from both sides 2015 is a clear winner. A final that had plenty of tries including some nice end-to-end stuff, and wasn't dominated by set piece + defence

Yep, hard to go past that for the sheer class of the rugby played.
Far from being one-sided too, Australia's fightback was very good and had plenty of bums twitching

2007
1995
2019
1991
2003
1999
2015
2011
1987

2015 was great, and annoyingly so was 2003. 1987 was pretty nice. Can't be bothered with any of the others, 2007 was suitably dull and 1995 did not happen at all.

The only redeeming feature about 2007 is that we at least managed to win the borefest. If only we could swop the pool game and the final around...

As a Yank and Irish fan...I never have to worry about conflicts

and only ones I watched live...

1995 South Africa 15–12 New Zealand
2003 England 20–17 Australia (hated the result, but loved the game)
2007 South Africa 15–6 England (I know it set rugby back, but just loved that SA defense)
2019 South Africa 32–12 England (Japan fans )
2011 New Zealand 8–7 France (Still wish France would have won)
1999 Australia 35–12 France
2015 New Zealand 34–17 Australia

C69 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:15 pm 1987
2007
1995
2019
1991
1999
2015
2011
2003

I can't tell which order this list is in

Best to worst
1995 - Lomu vs the SA tackling machine. Overtime, SA again on the RWC, Mandela, sickness, drama and more
2003 - Eng has chirurgical against a powerful Aus team that never stopped fighting
2011 - Fra gave a big scare to NZ. Dusatoir in god mode, and some NZders completely lost in the field under pressure. McCaw in one foot, Kaino and the 4th fly half saving the show.
2015 - Great rugby by NZ against a solid rival
1999 - The second best team in history, that obliterated its opposition
1991*
2007 - Interesting moments in the beginning, and then a bit of a tedious arm-wrestle
1987 - NZ's training run
2019 - SA rolling over a tired Eng. I expected much more after Eng erasing NZ from the pitch.


*1991: I only saw some highlights.

1999 and 2019 are equivalent as on both occasions, the losing finalist had drained themselves in their upset wins vs New Zealand one week before and simply couldn't get themselves right for the final

so both are pretty low-ranked finals IMO as the hype going into it with NZ being knocked out was underwhelmed by the no-show of the losing finalist