Which player scored 45 points in one match at the 1995 Rugby World Cup?

Simon Culhane scored 45 points in one match at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The New Zealand fly-half achieved the tournament record against Japan in Bloemfontein on 4 June 1995.

New Zealand won 145–17, then the highest score in Rugby World Cup history. Culhane scored two tries and added 20 conversions, producing 45 points. His total combined successful conversions with tries rather than coming from place-kicks alone.

The match also featured a remarkable performance by Jonah Lomu, who scored four tries. Lomu’s power made the game famous, but Culhane’s 45-point total remains the individual scoring mark associated with that match.

This record is distinct from the record for most points in a Rugby World Cup tournament, which has belonged to several different kickers across different editions. It is also separate from the record for most tries in a single tournament.