Copyright (c) 1999 World Rugby
This was not only being the last World Cup to be held during the millennium, but also were the first to be held in the sport's professional era. The 1999 Rugby World Cup was principally hosted by Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside Wales (shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland) the opening ceremony, the first match and the final were held in Cardiff. The overall attendance for this tournament was 1.75 million.
The tournament was expanded to 20 teams (from 16), divided into five pools of four teams, a scenario that necessitated a quarter-final play-off round involving the five runners-up and best third-placed team to decide who would join the pool winners in the last eight. The 1999 tournament saw the introduction of a repechage, effectively a second chance for teams that had finished runners-up in each qualifying zone.
The tournament began with the opening ceremony in the newly-built Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, with hosts Wales beating Argentina 23-18, and Colin Charvis scoring the first try of the tournament.
Australia won the tournament, becoming the first nation to do so twice and also to date the only team ever to win after having to qualify for the tournament, with a 35-12 triumph over France, who were unable to repeat their semi-final victory over pre-tournament favourites New Zealand.
