National team appearances in the Rugby World Cup

This article presents the national team appearances in the Rugby World Cup. The article tracks the appearances, results, and debuts for all national teams that have participated in at least one Rugby World Cup.

Number of appearances

Team Apps Record
streak		 Active
streak		 Debut Most
recent		 Best result
 New Zealand 88819872015Champions (1987, 2011, 2015)
 Australia 88819872015Champions (1991, 1999)
 South Africa 66619952015Champions (1995, 2007)
 England 88819872015Champions (2003)
 France 88819872015Runners-up (1987, 1999, 2011)
 Wales 88819872015Third place (1987)
 Argentina 88819872015Third place (2007)
 Scotland 88819872015Fourth place (1991)
 Ireland 88819872015Quarter-finals (x6)
 Fiji 75519872015Quarter-finals (1987, 2007)
 Samoa 77719912015Quarter-finals (1991, 1995)
 Canada 88819872015Quarter-finals (1991)
 Japan 888198720153 wins (2015)
 Italy 888198720152 wins (x4)
 Tonga 766198720152 wins (2007, 2011)
 Georgia 444200320152 wins (2015)
 Romania 888198720151 win (x6)
 United States 755198720151 win (1987, 2003, 2011)
 Uruguay 321199920151 win (1999, 2003)
 Namibia 55519992015 0 wins
 Zimbabwe 220198719910 wins
 Ivory Coast 110199519950 wins
 Spain 110199919990 wins
 Portugal 110200720070 wins
 Russia 110201120110 wins

Results by tournament

Map of countries' best results (click to enlarge)
Legend
  • Dis — Disqualified
  • R2 — Round 2 (1999: quarterfinal playoffs)
  • R1 — Round 1 (pool stage)
  • L — Last place
  • Q — Qualified
  •  ••  — Invited or qualified but declined or withdrew
  •  •  — Did not qualify
  •     — Not invited (1987) / Did not enter / Withdrew
  •    — Hosts

For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.

Team 1987
(16)		 1991
(16)		 1995
(16)		 1999
(20)		 2003
(20)		 2007
(20)		 2011
(20)		 2015
(20)		 2019
(20)
Africa
 Ivory Coast(1) • R1
15th		 • • • • • •
 Namibia • R1
19th		 R1
20th		 R1
20th		 R1
20th		 R1
18th		 Q
 South Africa(4) 1st 3rd QF
5th		 1st QF
5th		 3rd Q
 Zimbabwe R1
16th		 R1
16th		 • • • • • • •
Asia
 Japan R1
15th		 R1
9th		 R1
16th		 R1
17th		 R1
17th		 R1
16th		 R1
17th		 R1
9th		 Q
Europe
 England QF
5th		 2nd 4th QF
5th		 1st 2nd QF
6th		 R1
10th		 Q
 France 2nd QF
7th		 3rd 2nd 4th 4th 2nd QF
6th		 Q
 Georgia ••(2) • • R1
19th		 R1
13th		 R1
15th		 R1
12th		 Q
 Ireland QF
7th		 QF
6th		 QF
8th		 R2
9th		 QF
6th		 R1
11th		 QF
7th		 QF
5th		 Q
 Italy R1
12th		 R1
10th		 R1
11th		 R1
20th		 R1
12th		 R1
12th		 R1
11th		 R1
11th		 Q
 Portugal • • • • R1
19th		 • • •
 Romania R1
11th		 R1
12th		 R1
14th		 R1
14th		 R1
15th		 R1
15th		 R1
19th		 R1
16th		 Dis
 Russia ••(2) • • • • R1
18th		 • Q
 Scotland QF
6th		 4th QF
6th		 QF
6th		 QF
8th		 QF
8th		 R1
9th		 QF
7th		 Q
 Spain • • R1
18th		 • • • • •
 Wales 3rd R1
11th		 R1
9th		 QF
7th		 QF
7th		 R1
9th		 4th QF
8th		 Q
North America
 Canada R1
9th		 QF
8th		 R1
10th		 R1
12th		 R1
14th		 R1
17th		 R1
13th		 R1
17th
 United States R1
10th		 R1
15th		 • R1
16th		 R1
13th		 R1
18th		 R1
16th		 R1
19th		 Q
Oceania
 Australia 4th 1st QF
5th		 1st 2nd QF
6th		 3rd 2nd Q
 Fiji QF
8th		 R1
13th		 • R2
10th		 R1
10th		 QF
7th		 R1
14th		 R1
15th		 Q
 New Zealand 1st 3rd 2nd 4th 3rd QF
5th		 1st 1st Q
 Samoa(3) QF
7th		 QF
7th		 R2
11th		 R1
11th		 R1
14th		 R1
10th		 R1
13th		 Q
 Tonga R1
14th		 • R1
12th		 R1
15th		 R1
18th		 R1
10th		 R1
12th		 R1
14th		 Q
South America
 Argentina R1
13th		 R1
14th		 R1
13th		 QF
8th		 R1
9th		 3rd QF
8th		 4th Q
 Uruguay • R1
13th		 R1
16th		 • • R1
20th		 Q

Debut of national teams

25 nations have thus far qualified for the Rugby World Cup. From 1987 until 2011, each edition featured at least one new debuting country. The 2015 tournament was the first edition with no country making its debut. It simply featured the return of Uruguay after not qualifying for the 2007 and 2011 editions.

Year Nation(s) Total
1987  Argentina
 Australia
 Canada
 England
 Fiji
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Japan
 New Zealand
 Romania
 Scotland
 Tonga
 United States
 Wales
 Zimbabwe		 16
1991  Samoa 1
1995  Ivory Coast
 South Africa		 2
1999  Namibia
 Spain
 Uruguay		 3
2003  Georgia 1
2007  Portugal 1
2011  Russia 1
2015 (none) 0
2019 (TBD)

Result of host nations

The best result by hosts is champions, achieved by New Zealand in 1987 and 2011, and by South Africa in 1995. The worst result was by Wales in 1991 with only one win in pool play, although they did not host the final. The worst result by a country who hosted the final is held by England, being eliminated in the group stage in 2015.

Year Host nation Finish
1987  New Zealand Champions
 Australia Fourth Place
1991  England Runners-up
 Scotland Fourth Place
 France Quarter Final
 Ireland Quarter Final
 Wales Group Stage
1995  South Africa Champions
1999  Wales Quarter Final
2003  Australia Runners-up
2007  France Fourth Place
2011  New Zealand Champions
2015  England Group Stage
2019  Japan

Results of defending champions

New Zealand is the only nation to successfully defend the World Cup as defending champions in 2015. Australia and England achieved runner up in 2003 and 2007, respectively. The worst results were by Australia in 1995 and South Africa in 2011, both exiting in the quarter-finals.

Year Defending champions Finish
1991  New Zealand Third Place
1995  Australia Quarter Final
1999  South Africa Third Place
2003  Australia Runners-up
2007  England Runners-up
2011  South Africa Quarter Final
2015  New Zealand Champions
2019  New Zealand

See also

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