Which nation became the first to win four Rugby World Cups in 2023?

South Africa became the first nation to win four Rugby World Cups in 2023. The Springboks defeated New Zealand 12–11 in the final at Stade de France in Saint-Denis to claim their fourth Webb Ellis Cup.

South Africa’s titles came in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023. The 1995 triumph, achieved on home soil, became an iconic moment in the country’s post-apartheid history when President Nelson Mandela presented the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar. The 2007 victory came in France, while the 2019 team won in Japan.

The 2023 final was a tense, low-scoring match. Handré Pollard kicked four penalties for South Africa, and New Zealand scored the only try of the game through Beauden Barrett. New Zealand’s Sam Cane was sent off in the first half, the first red card in a Rugby World Cup final.

Before 2023, South Africa and New Zealand had each won three titles. New Zealand had won in 1987, 2011 and 2015, but South Africa moved ahead after its narrow victory in France.