Rugby's first World Cup skipped qualifying entirely, simply inviting 16 nations directly — and pointedly left one major rugby nation off that list for reasons that had nothing to do with the sport itself.
New Zealand and Australia Push It Through
The idea for a Rugby World Cup came together through sustained pressure from Australia and New Zealand's rugby unions, against real resistance within the sport's northern-hemisphere establishment, which was wrestling with tension between rugby's amateur ideals and the sport's creeping professionalism.
16 Nations, No Qualifying
Unlike every edition since, the inaugural 1987 tournament had no qualification process at all — the International Rugby Football Board simply invited 16 nations directly: the seven IRFB member unions plus nine additional invited teams.
South Africa's Deliberate Absence
The most notable name missing from that list of 16 was South Africa, one of the sport's traditional powers, excluded entirely because of the international sporting boycott of the country over apartheid. Tellingly, South Africa's own rugby authorities reportedly supported the tournament going ahead without them — an acknowledgment that their exclusion, and the broader boycott behind it, was expected to continue until apartheid itself ended, which it eventually did in the early 1990s.
New Zealand Wins at Home
Co-hosted across New Zealand and Australia in May and June 1987, the tournament culminated in the final at Eden Park, Auckland, where the host nation beat France 29-9 to become the first holders of the Webb Ellis Cup — a trophy South Africa, still years from readmission to international rugby, could only watch from outside the sport entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why wasn't South Africa in the first Rugby World Cup?
South Africa was excluded due to the international sporting boycott over apartheid — the country wasn't readmitted to international rugby until the early 1990s.
Did teams have to qualify for the first Rugby World Cup?
No — the 1987 tournament had no qualification process; the International Rugby Football Board simply invited 16 nations directly.
Who won the first Rugby World Cup?
New Zealand, beating France 29-9 in the final at Eden Park, Auckland.
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