Quadrangle - a shape with only four sides

This week’s article is a look at the rugby world cup, which begins in September. It is said that the best predictor of future actions is past behaviour. Therefore the focus will be on past world cups and their eventual winners since 1995. 1995 is the first world cup I watched and also the first competition to contain South Africa. They had previously been excluded due to their apartheid politics.

Including 1995 three teams have won the competition: South Africa, Australia and England. South Africa winning in both 1995 and 2007 are, along with Australia, the only team to win two world cups. New Zealand won the inaugural trophy in 1987.

There you have it six competitions four different winners. It is difficult to imagine another winner of the trophy however. Everyone knows that France are closest to being included in this elite group of winners. Two weeks ago I included examples of the sublime rugby France have played in the World Cup. Their inconsistency though has prevented them from winning the competition.