The records
Individual records
Leading points scorers
227 G Hastings Sco
195 M Lynagh Aus
182 J Wilkinson Eng
170 G Fox NZ
163 A Mehrtens NZ
135 G Quesada Arg
125 M Burke Aus
124 T Lacroix Fra
120 G Rees Can
103 F Michalak Fra
Leading try scorers
15 J Lomu NZ
11 R Underwood Eng
10 D Campese Aus
10 B Lima Sam
9 G Hastings Sco
9 J Wilson NZ
Most points in a match
45 S Culhane NZ v Jpn, 1995
44 G Hastings Sco v IC, 1995
42 M Rogers Aus v Nam, 2003
36 P Grayson Eng v Ton, 1999
36 T Brown NZ v It, 1999
34 J de Beer SA v Eng, 1999
32 J Wilkinson Eng v It, 1999
31 G Hastings Sco v Ton, 1995
30 M Ellis NZ v Jpn, 1995
30 E Flatley Aus v Rom, 2003
Most tries in a match
6 M Ellis NZ v Jpn, 1995
5 C Latham Aus v Nam, 2003
5 J Lewsey Eng v Uru, 2003
4 M Muliaina NZ v Can, 2003
4 C Williams SA v Sam, 1995
4 K Wood Ire v USA, 1999
4 I Evans Wal v Can, 1987
4 J Lomu NZ v Eng, 1995
4 G Hastings Sco v IC, 1995
4 B Robinson Ire v Zim, 1991
4 C Green NZ v Fiji, 1987
4 J Gallagher NZ v Fiji, 1987
Most drop goals in a match
5 J de Beer SA v Eng, 1999
3 J Wilkinson Eng v Fr, 2003
Team records
Biggest margin of victory
142-0 Aus v Nam 2003
145-17 NZ v Jpn 1995
101-3 NZ v It 1999
111-13 Eng v Uru 2003
101-10 Eng v Tonga 1999
89-0 Sco v I Coast 1995
91-7 NZ v Ton 2003
90-8 Aus v Rom 2003
84-6 Eng v Geo 2003
72-6 SA v Uru 2003
Most tries in a match
22 Aus v Nam 2003
21 NZ v Jap 1995
17 Eng v Uru 2003
14 NZ v It 1999
13 Eng v Tonga 1999
Most points scored
1,384 New Zealand
987 Australia
968 France
957 England
770 Scotland
610 Ireland
556 South Africa
523 Wales
433 Argentina
425 Samoa
Most tries in a tournament
184 New Zealand
122 Australia
115 France
99 England
94 Scotland
71 Ireland
63 Wales
61 South Africa
53 Samoa
40 Argentina
Tournament history
Cards shown
1987 2 (both red)
1991 2 (both red)
1995 4 (all red)
1999 4 (both red)
2003 28 (all yellow)
Tries scored
1987 224
1991 148
1995 187
1999 242
2003 332
Ave points per game
1987 24.8
1991 19.8
1995 13.7
1999 56.1
2003 58.9
The ball
Gilbert is a company based in Rugby which claims to have supplied the ball young William Webb Ellis first picked up. For France 2007, following 1995's Barbarian, the Revolution of 1999 and the Xact of 2003, it has produced this Synergie ball.
It is an impressive little (or size five) dingus, apparently combining multi-matrix 3D grip, figure of eight bladder, reaction laminate and the Truflight valve for smoother flight and "better handling than ever before". A tenner says the kickers still find reasons to whinge when they miss.
The kits
Haven't rugby shirts changed? No more comfy fits that spawned an industry of leisurewear. England are playing in shirts resembling Opal Fruit wrappers and Wales have scarlet bodystockings: welcome to rugby's revolution. Actually England are in Nike's Dri Fit Knit fabric, Wales, in Reebok Playdry, have "an engineered 3D structure" to reduce the chance of injury and the Wallabies and Boks are in Canterbury's IonX Ionised Energy Fabric shirts, said to improve the delivery of oxygen to the muscles.
The cup
Only 38cm tall and decorated with the rather unlikely figures of a nymph and a fawn, the Webb Ellis Cup is a gilded silver 1906 copy of a 1704 original. It was bought from Regent Street jewellers Garrards in the rather ad hoc build up to the 1987 tournament and quickly engraved. Since then the southern super powers have got a little shirty over the decision to name it after the Englishman who supposedly invented the game at Rugby School in 1823, and over not being allowed to keep it should they win the tournament for a third time, a possible outcome for the Australians this year.
The anthem
World in Union, the song set to the tune of Jupiter, part of The Planets suite by Gustav Holst, made its debut as ITV's theme music in 1991, sung by Kiri Te Kanawa. Since then it has been adopted by the IRB as the tournament's official anthem and re-recorded for every event. For South Africa 1995 Ladysmith Black Mambazo had a pop, in 1999 Bryn Terfel and the inevitable Shirley Bassey stepped forward, with some verses in Welsh, and United Colours of Sound did 2003. This year's recording is by a dizzy-ing array of light-classics stars, led by the English group Blake.
