Which two countries co-hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987?

The first Rugby World Cup in 1987 was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia. The inaugural tournament ran from 22 May to 20 June, bringing together 16 invited nations without a qualifying competition.

New Zealand staged 21 matches, including the final, while Australia hosted 11. The split reflected the two countries’ central roles in the International Rugby Football Board and their established rugby traditions. Pool matches were played across cities such as Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Brisbane and Sydney.

New Zealand went on to win the first title, defeating France 29–9 at Auckland’s Eden Park. Australia reached the semi-finals but lost to France, then finished fourth after a defeat by Wales. A common mix-up is to assume South Africa participated: apartheid-era sporting boycotts prevented the Springboks from entering the 1987 tournament.