16 Unions (by invitation) take part in first Rugby World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. Sixteen teams gathered in Australia and New Zealand, but there were only three real contenders for the trophy.

The semifinal match between the European champions France and favorites Australia is often billed as the match of the tournament. France would defeat the men from Down Under, only to lose to New Zealand in the final 29-9 at Eden Park on June 20.

The gap between the established and the emerging nations was apparent, illustrating that rugby was still far from a global game and that the form of the British and Irish, with the exception of Scotland, was weak. Despite some initial apathy, the sixteen-nation tournament began to capture the public imagination as it progressed.

The competition gave the likes of Argentina, Fiji, Japan and Romania the chance to prove they were more than mere cannon fodder.

But it showed in stark focus the widening gulf between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres which would soon herald the end of the amateur game.