SCRUM Magazine – September 2019

2015
Australia 35-34 Scotland: A game that will live long in the
memory of Scotland fans, Australia downed Scotland in
controversial fashion in the quarter-finals of the last World
Cup when a wrongly-awarded penalty allowed the Wallabies
to snatch the game at the death. The side went on to beat
Argentina in the semi-finals to reach their fourth ever World Cup
final, losing to New Zealand in the competition’s last round.

2011
Australia 11-9 South Africa: After finishing second place
in their pool to table-toppers Ireland, Australia were up
against South Africa in the quarter-final, who were looking
to defend their World Cup title. Although they trailed for 9-8
for the majority of the game, a 72nd minute James O’Connor
penalty saw Australia over the line, and into the semi-finals,
where they lost to that year’s winners New Zealand.

2007
Australia 10-12 England: In 2007, it was a similar story for
Australia, when an impressive run through the pool stages
and into the knock-out stages came to an end against England
in the quarter-finals. Despite dominating the game, it was
Jonny Wilkinson and his boot that yet again put an end to
the Wallabies World Cup hopes with the stand-off slotting
four penalties to take England through to the semi-finals,
and leave Australia ruing their missed opportunities.

2003
Australia 17-20 England (a.e.t.): The Wallabies could not
repeat their extra-time heroics in 2003, however, when they
lost to England in the final. Despite recording convincing score
lines against Argentina, Scotland and New Zealand on their
route to the final, they fell victim to Jonny Wilkinson’s
boot when in one of rugby’s most iconic moments the
English stand-off dropped a goal with his wrong foot
to win the World Cup for his country in extra-time.

1999
Australia 27-21 South Africa
(a.e.t.): Like in 1991, Australia
came through a tense
knock-out encounter
unscathed before becoming
the first country to win
rugby’s most prestigious
competition for the second
time. Their semi-final tie
against South Africa went
into extra-time with the score
21-21 after 80 minutes, but the
Wallabies sealed the encounter
27-21 thanks to fullback Matthew
Burke’s eight penalties.

1995

Australia 22-25 England: England had their revenge at the

next World Cup though as they dumped Australia out of the

competition in the quarter-final stage. A last-minute Rob

Andrew drop-kick from 45 metres out put paid to the Wallabies

World Cup run, after the team had dominated the pool stages

beating Canada, Romania, and eventual winners South Africa.

1991

Australia 19-18 Ireland: Four years on, the Wallabies were on

the right side of what turned out to be a crucial last-minute,

one-point victory. In the dying moments of their quarter-final

against Ireland, Michael Lynagh streaked in to score the try

that would see Australia through the first of the competition’s

knock-out stages. The Wallabies went on to dispatch New

Zealand in the semis before putting England to the sword

in the final to lift the Webb Ellis trophy for the first time.

1987

Australia 21-22 Wales: Australia entered the inaugural

Rugby World Cup as second seeds, and after topping

their pool by sweeping aside England, USA, Japan and

dispatching Ireland in the quarter-finals, the side looked

likely to meet co-hosts New Zealand in the final. Sadly

for the Wallabies, they unstuck against the French in the

semi-finals, and then, to make matters worse, lost to Wales

by a single point in the dying moments of the game.

MEMORABLE RUGBY WORLD CUP MOMENTS

Matches played: 48

Wins: 39 Losses: 9

Win percentage: 81%

Total points scored: 1648

Tries: 209 Penalties: 107

Conversions: 149

Drop-goals: 8

World ranking: 6

THW WALLABIES AT

THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

ISSUE 116 2019 • WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM • 41

RUGBY WORLD CUP - TOP 10