KEY POINTS:
International rugby does not often throw up major upsets but the World Cup has had its fair share of shock results down the years.
Here, PA Sport's Ben Rumsby takes a look at five of the biggest.
AUSTRALIA 21 WALES 22 (1987 third-place play-off)
Australia had already suffered something of an upset in their semi-final defeat to France - widely regarded as the game of the tournament. What followed though was possibly an even greater shock. How much the pre-tournament favourites were motivated for a bronze-medal match is debatable but they certainly should have beaten a Wales side who shipped 49 points in their own semi against New Zealand. The game was incredibly tight throughout, each side touching down twice before Adrian Hadley's last-gasp try and Paul Thorburn's remarkable conversion from a tight angle settled it.
WESTERN SAMOA 16 WALES 13 (1991 group stage)
"Thank heavens Wales weren't playing the whole of Samoa" went the famous quip following arguably the greatest shock in World Cup history. Wales' Cardiff Arms Park defeat to Western Samoa was the first time a leading rugby nation had come unstuck in the tournament against a rank outsider. It sent shockwaves through the principality as 1987's third-placed team ultimately failed to get out of their group. In fairness, Samoa possessed arguably their most talented ever line-up and simply outmuscled their smaller opponents. Both sides scored two tries but it was the more reliable kicking of Mathew Vaea that proved
decisive.
SOUTH AFRICA 15 NEW ZEALAND 12 (1995 final)
Notwithstanding their subsequent collapses to France and Australia in the following two World Cups, it is this result that first obliterated New Zealand's aura of invincibility. The All Blacks have been favourites for every World Cup since 1991 but never more so than when a Jonah Lomu-inspired XV blazed a trail all the way to the 1995 final against hosts South Africa. The 18st wing had simply demolished England with a four-try blitz in the semi-final and was
believed to be almost unplayable. But South Africa had other ideas and, inspired by a 62,000 partisan home crowd, completely shut down the All Blacks machine to win courtesy of a Joel Stransky drop goal in extra-time.
WALES 31 SAMOA 38 (1999 group stage)
The commentator who speculated on what the outcome would be were Wales to play "the whole of Samoa" only had to wait until their next World Cup meeting to find out. Proving lightning really can strike twice, the islanders repeated their shock victory from eight years earlier, becoming the first visiting team to win at Wales' shining new Millennium Stadium. However, unlike the 1991 game, the match was a feast of running rugby, the visitors clinical in the extreme by scoring five tries. The match is also memorable for Wales fly-half Neil Jenkins overtaking Michael Lynagh as Test rugby's highest ever points scorer.
IRELAND 24 ARGENTINA 28 (1999 quarter-final play-offs)
Ireland were just beginning to re-establish themselves as a top-quality international side when their world came crashing down against unfancied Argentina in the 1999 tournament. What was not known then is that the Argentinians were on their own journey to rugby's top table. The match itself was dominated by the boot, with David Humphreys trading penalties with fellow fly-half Gonzalo Quesada, the tournament's top scorer. The contest was ultimately settled by winger Diego Albanese, who powered into the corner six minutes from time.
- PA SPORT
