National team appearances in the Rugby World Cup
This article presents the national team appearances in the Rugby World Cup. The article tracks the appearances, results, and debuts for all national teams that have participated in at least one Rugby World Cup.
Number of appearances
Team | Apps | Record streak |
Active streak |
Debut | Most recent |
Best result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Champions (1987, 2011, 2015) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Champions (1991, 1999) |
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6 | 6 | 6 | 1995 | 2015 | Champions (1995, 2007) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Champions (2003) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Runners-up (1987, 1999, 2011) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Third place (1987) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Third place (2007) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Fourth place (1991) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Quarter-finals (x6) |
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7 | 5 | 5 | 1987 | 2015 | Quarter-finals (1987, 2007) |
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7 | 7 | 7 | 1991 | 2015 | Quarter-finals (1991, 1995) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | Quarter-finals (1991) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | 3 wins (2015) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | 2 wins (x4) |
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7 | 6 | 6 | 1987 | 2015 | 2 wins (2007, 2011) |
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4 | 4 | 4 | 2003 | 2015 | 2 wins (2015) |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 1987 | 2015 | 1 win (x6) |
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7 | 5 | 5 | 1987 | 2015 | 1 win (1987, 2003, 2011) |
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3 | 2 | 1 | 1999 | 2015 | 1 win (1999, 2003) |
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5 | 5 | 5 | 1999 | 2015 | 0 wins |
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2 | 2 | 0 | 1987 | 1991 | 0 wins |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 1995 | 1995 | 0 wins |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 1999 | 1999 | 0 wins |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 2007 | 2007 | 0 wins |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 2011 | 2011 | 0 wins |
Results by tournament
![](../I/m/Rugby_world_cup_countries_best_results_and_hosts_rev1.png)
- Legend
- R2 — Round 2 (1999: quarterfinal playoffs)
- R1 — Round 1 (pool stage)
- L — Last place
- •• — Invited or qualified but declined or withdrew
- • — Did not qualify
- — Not invited (1987) / Did not enter / Withdrew
- — Hosts
For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.
Team | 1987 (16) |
1991 (16) |
1995 (16) |
1999 (20) |
2003 (20) |
2007 (20) |
2011 (20) |
2015 (20) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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R1 13th |
R1 14th |
R1 13th |
QF 8th |
R1 9th |
3rd | QF 8th |
4th |
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4th | 1st | QF 5th |
1st | 2nd | QF 6th |
3rd | 2nd |
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R1 9th |
QF 8th |
R1 10th |
R1 12th |
R1 14th |
R1 17th |
R1 13th |
R1 17th |
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QF 5th |
2nd | 4th | QF 5th |
1st | 2nd | QF 6th |
R1 10th |
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QF 8th |
R1 13th |
• | R2 10th |
R1 10th |
QF 7th |
R1 14th |
R1 15th |
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2nd | QF 7th |
3rd | 2nd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | QF 6th |
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••(2) | • | • | R1 19th |
R1 13th |
R1 15th |
R1 12th | |
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QF 7th |
QF 6th |
QF 8th |
R2 9th |
QF 6th |
R1 11th |
QF 7th |
QF 5th |
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R1 12th |
R1 10th |
R1 11th |
R1 20th |
R1 12th |
R1 12th |
R1 11th |
R1 11th |
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• | R1 15th |
• | • | • | • | • | |
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R1 15th |
R1 9th |
R1 16th |
R1 17th |
R1 17th |
R1 16th |
R1 17th |
R1 9th |
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• | R1 19th |
R1 20th |
R1 20th |
R1 20th |
R1 18th | ||
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1st | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | QF 5th |
1st | 1st |
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• | • | • | • | R1 19th |
• | • | |
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R1 11th |
R1 12th |
R1 14th |
R1 14th |
R1 15th |
R1 15th |
R1 19th |
R1 16th |
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••(2) | • | • | • | • | R1 18th |
• | |
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QF 7th |
QF 7th |
R2 11th |
R1 11th |
R1 14th |
R1 10th |
R1 13th | |
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QF 6th |
4th | QF 6th |
QF 6th |
QF 8th |
QF 8th |
R1 9th |
QF 7th |
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1st | 3rd | QF 5th |
1st | QF 5th |
3rd | ||
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• | • | R1 18th |
• | • | • | • | |
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R1 14th |
• | R1 12th |
R1 15th |
R1 18th |
R1 10th |
R1 12th |
R1 14th |
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R1 10th |
R1 15th |
• | R1 16th |
R1 13th |
R1 18th |
R1 16th |
R1 19th |
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• | R1 13th |
R1 16th |
• | • | R1 20th | ||
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3rd | R1 11th |
R1 9th |
QF 7th |
QF 7th |
R1 9th |
4th | QF 8th |
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R1 16th |
R1 16th |
• | • | • | • | • | • |
- 1 The team representing Côte d'Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast) is recognised as Ivory Coast by the International Rugby Board.
- 2 Georgia and Russia were part of the Soviet Union in 1987, whose national team declined an invitation to the inaugural World Cup on political grounds.
- 3 Samoa was known as Western Samoa until 1997.
- 4 South Africa did not compete in 1987 and 1991 while subject to an international sporting boycott in opposition to the country's apartheid regime.
Debut of national teams
25 nations have thus far qualified for the Rugby World Cup. From 1987 until 2011, each edition featured at least one new debuting country. The 2015 tournament was the first edition with no country making its debut.
Year | Nation(s) | Total |
---|---|---|
1987 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
16 |
1991 | ![]() |
1 |
1995 | ![]() ![]() |
2 |
1999 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
3 |
2003 | ![]() |
1 |
2007 | ![]() |
1 |
2011 | ![]() |
1 |
2015 | (none) | 0 |
Result of host nations
The best result by hosts is champions, achieved by New Zealand in 1987 and 2011, and by South Africa in 1995. The worst result was by Wales in 1991 with only one win in pool play, although they did not host the final. The worst result by a country who hosted the final is held by England, being eliminated in the group stage in 2015.
Year | Host nation | Finish |
---|---|---|
1987 | ![]() |
Champions |
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Fourth Place | |
1991 | ![]() |
Runners-up |
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Fourth Place | |
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Quarter Final | |
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Quarter Final | |
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Group Stage | |
1995 | ![]() |
Champions |
1999 | ![]() |
Quarter Final |
2003 | ![]() |
Runners-up |
2007 | ![]() |
Fourth Place |
2011 | ![]() |
Champions |
2015 | ![]() |
Group Stage |
2019 | ![]() |
Results of defending champions
New Zealand is the only nation to successfully defend the World Cup as defending champions in 2015. Australia and England achieved runner up in 2003 and 2007, respectively. The worst results were by Australia in 1995 and South Africa in 2011, both exiting in the quarter-finals.
Year | Defending champions | Finish |
---|---|---|
1991 | ![]() |
Third Place |
1995 | ![]() |
Quarter Final |
1999 | ![]() |
Third Place |
2003 | ![]() |
Runners-up |
2007 | ![]() |
Runners-up |
2011 | ![]() |
Quarter Final |
2015 | ![]() |
Champions |
2019 | ![]() |