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1991 History

1991 - Winners: Australia

Runners-up: England

Defending champions New Zealand once again went into the tournament as favourites, and this status was merely enhanced as they defeated co-hosts England in the opening match at Twickenham.

If the 1987 event underlined the dominance of the established nations, four years later saw the emerging sides prove they were capable of a shock or two. A Samoan side containing the likes of Pat Lam, Frank Bunce and Stephen Bachop tackled Wales into submission leaving the Welsh needing to beat both Argentina and Australia. But the Wallabies finished Wales off 38-3, and the Celts crashed out.

Samoa were joined in the last eight by Canada, but here their campaigns would end.

The quarter-finals also saw Ireland on the brink of their famous win, Gordon Hamilton's late try - converted by Ralph Keyes - putting Ciaran Fitzgerald's side 18-15 ahead against eventual winners Australia. But a planned midfield move sparked by wing David Campese ended with acting captain Michael Lynagh touching down to silence Lansdowne Road and secure a breathless one-point win.

England went some way towards avenging their Five Nations Grand Slam defeat at the hands of Scotland the previous year when Rob Andrew's drop-goal put them into a first World Cup final. New Zealand's reign ended, however, as a Campese masterclass saw Australia prevail 16-6 in Dublin.

An expectant Twickenham audience watched England and Australia battle for rugby's ultimate crown. The Wallabies won 12-6, with England, clearly riled by Campese's "boring" jibes, playing into their opponents hands by adopting an aimless wide game that rarely threatened the Australian line.

Final
England	6 - 12	Australia

3rd Place Play-Off
New Zealand	13 - 6	Scotland

Semi Finals
Scotland	6 - 9	England
Australia	16 - 6	New Zealand

Quarter Finals
Scotland	28 - 6	Samoa
France	10 - 19	England
Ireland	18 - 19	Australia
New Zealand	29 - 13	Canada

Pool 1
England	12 - 18	New Zealand
Italy	30 - 9	USA
New Zealand	46 - 6	USA
England	36 - 6	Italy
England	37 - 9	USA
New Zealand	31 - 21	Italy

Pool 2
Scotland	47 - 9	Japan
Ireland	55 - 11	Zimbabwe
Ireland	32 - 16	Japan
Scotland	51 - 12	Zimbabwe
Scotland	24 - 15	Ireland
Japan	52 - 8	Zimbabwe

Pool 3
Australia	32 - 19	Argentina
Wales	13 - 16	Samoa
Australia	9 - 3	Samoa
Wales	16 - 7	Argentina
Wales	3 - 38	Australia
Samoa	35 - 12	Argentina

Pool 4
France	30 - 3	Romania
Canada	13 - 3	Fiji
France	33 - 9	Fiji
Canada	19 - 11	Romania
Romania	17 - 15	Fiji
France	19 - 13	Canada