1: South Africa v New Zealand, Johannesburg 1995
It is hard, 20 years on, to emphasise just how big and momentous an occasion the 1995 final was. The Nelson Mandela factor, the “One Team, One Country” mantra: the political and social ramifications of a South African victory elevated the whole thing way above mere sport. Even before Mandela emerged wearing Francois Pienaar’s Springbok jersey the day had frazzled everyone’s emotions. Those of us working for a wire agency thought we were about to report on a major disaster when the 747 jumbo with ”Go Bokke” written underneath flew so low across Ellis Park it seemed set to plough into the stand behind the posts. Even as we opened our prehistoric laptops to tap out the urgent news flash, we realised we would probably all die if the plane actually crashed. Long after Joel Stransky’s drop-goal had won the actual game and Pienaar had hoisted the trophy, some of us escaped to a Portuguese restaurant in the suburb of Orange Grove. Halfway through the meal every single diner, black and white alike, rose as one, formed a human crocodile and danced off down the street outside to salute a day like no other.
2: England v Australia, Sydney 2003
Just occasionally in sport everything happens in slow motion. As Jonny Wilkinson’s drop-goal hung in the air it certainly felt that way. Had he really hit it with his right foot? What about all the earlier ones he’d missed? How best to describe the tableau below us? Then over it went and, 12 years on, English rugby clings to the memory still. It is easy to overlook that the final was drawn after 80 minutes, that England were a great team who had probably peaked the previous June and that they would never have got over it had they lost. The little kid outside the stadium, hands clasped in trademark Wilko style as he practised his goalkicking clad in full Wallaby kit, neatly summed up the night.
3: New Zealand v England, Cape Town 1995
So there we all were, waiting to see how England would cope with the game’s new young colossus, Jonah Lomu. From the press box low down on that side of the Newlands ground there was no immediate danger as Graeme Bachop’s long pass bounced towards the touchline. Once Lomu had retrieved it, though, it was like watching a horror movie. Tony Underwood was left sprawling and the giant winger might as well have left caterpillar tracks as he smashed straight through and over the unfortunate English full-back Mike Catt. Within five minutes of the kick-off, Josh Kronfeld had scored a second and England had no realistic way back into the contest. The 45-29 final scoreline, in the circumstances, was almost a triumph.
4: Australia v New Zealand, Dublin 1991
The All Blacks had a good side but lacked an individual capable of turning matches with one outrageous spark of genius. Australia had just the man: David Campese. When you think of all the tight, give-’em-nowt knockout games at recent World Cups it makes Campese’s contribution in this fixture even more remarkable. Not content with an artful diagonal burst to score in the left corner, the winger’s mazy footwork and classic over-the-shoulder pass to Tim Horan for his side’s second try has never been bettered. The following weekend Australia were less thrilling but still beat England in the final.
5: Ireland v Australia, Dublin 1991
The theory goes that modern rugby stadia are noisier because they tend to be more enclosed, the stands are often steeper and spectators are more vociferous. Maybe so but no single Test rugby moment in my experience has produced a more explosive, ear-splitting roar of sheer ecstasy than when Gordon Hamilton broke clear at draughty old open-ended Lansdowne Road to score the try everyone thought would propel Ireland into the World Cup semi-finals. There have been Irish Gold Cup winners at Cheltenham who have been applauded to the line less enthusiastically. Sadly for Ireland, Australia went back up the other end and nicked the win through Michael Lynagh’s last-gasp try.
6: Australia v England, Marseille 2007
No-one, including some of their own squad, expected England to win their quarter-final against the Wallabies; some had even packed in expectation of an early trip home. Instead, having lost 36-0 to South Africa in the pool stages, England managed one of the more remarkable resurrections rugby has seen. Under a clear blue sky the Australian scrum was monstered by Andrew Sheridan and friends and four penalties from Wilkinson saw England home 12-10. Then we all trooped down to Marseille’s Vieux Port to watch New Zealand get monstered by France in Cardiff. One incredible day.
7: Australia v France, Sydney 1987
You could, if you wanted, pick Mick Skinner’s ”bosh” against France in 1991 or possibly John Kirwan’s virtuoso length-of the-field effort which encapsulated the All Blacks’ domination in 1987. The score that really cemented the Rugby World Cup in neutral imaginations, though, was Serge Blanco’s sprint to the corner at the Concord Oval in the semi-final of the inaugural tournament. It not only took France into the final but Blanco’s exhausted forward-flop celebration afterwards perfectly captured the spirit and effort of the day. The chain-smoking French full-back would probably have lit up in the in-goal area had he been offered a cigarette at that moment.
8: South Africa v Australia, Cape Town 1995
People rightly talk about the final of the 1995 tournament but tend to forget the opening match which set the vibrant tone. This was South Africa’s first-ever World Cup game and the stirring pre-match show set a standard for rugby opening ceremonies that has still to be matched.
Newlands was abuzz and the roar when Pieter Hendriks, fist clenched in celebration, scored the Boks’ first try seemed to galvanise an entire nation. Australia were not the side who had won in 1991 but their 27-18 defeat was a preliminary taste of what was to follow.
9: France v Argentina Paris 2007
We all know third place play-offs are a waste of time, right? Not this one. Argentina had already beaten France once on the 2007 tournament’s opening night but this was to be a last hurrah for several distinguished Pumas. The anthems were emotional enough but, in front of their own supporters, France were expecting to gain a measure of consolation for not reaching the final. Instead a gloriously physical and entertaining Latin romp ensued, with Felipe Contepomi scoring two of his side’s five tries and Ignacio Corleto’s final flourish completing a fiesta of highlights. The Pumas won 34-10; never has more passion been poured into a supposedly meaningless fixture.
10: South Africa v Canada, Port Elizabeth 1995
This match took place in Port Elizabeth but some of us ended up watching on a big screen at the Stellenbosch wine festival. Up on screen there was no shortage of claret; spread out on the tables below was an endless supply of pinotage. It was already clear the Canucks were up for the game long before the brawl that qualified the contest for “Battle of Boet Erasmus” status. Hendriks, Winston Stanley and Scott Stewart lit the blue touchpaper but, ultimately, it was James Dalton, Rod Snow and Gareth Rees who were sent off. South Africa won 20-0 but no-one remembers that.
