Which team won the third-place play-off at the 1991 Rugby World Cup?

New Zealand won the third-place play-off at the 1991 Rugby World Cup. They defeated Scotland 13–6 in Cardiff on 30 October 1991.

The match followed two tense semi-finals. New Zealand, the defending champions, lost 16–6 to Australia, while Scotland fell 9–6 to England at Murrayfield. That sent both teams into the tournament’s bronze-medal match rather than the final.

New Zealand’s victory secured third place, while Scotland finished fourth—their best Rugby World Cup result until that point and still their highest finish. The result is sometimes confused with the final, where Australia beat England 12–6 at Twickenham.

The 1991 tournament was jointly staged across England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France. It was only the second Rugby World Cup and the first held in the northern hemisphere, with 16 teams competing.