Rugby: All Blacks greats on 1987 Rugby World Cup, 30 years on

Michael Jones scores the first ever Rugby World Cup try against Italy in 1987. Photo / Herald Archive

Today marks 30 years since the All Blacks won the first rugby World Cup, beating France 29-9 in the final.

Selector and assistant coach of the All Blacks that day, John Hart, remembers it as a special occasion.

"It culminated on the growth of a pretty special All Black team. To win the inaugural World Cup at home was special," Hart told Coast.

The All Blacks were under a lot of pressure.

"We had come off a difficult year in 1986 with the Cavaliers so the World Cup did a marvellous thing for rugby to get it back on track."

That World Cup in New Zealand began the amazing career of Auckland loose forward Michael Jones who scored a try in the Eden Park final. Jones was also the first player to score a World Cup try, against Italy in the tournament opener, won 70-6.

"Michael and I go back a long way and to see him score the first try in the World Cup and to see what he went on to be - pretty special - and the Cup launched Jones on the international arena."

All Black winger John Kirwan, first five-eighths Grant Fox and Jones also spoke to Coast and recalled their memories of that famous day in 1987.