Title: Unwanted Records in Rugby World Cup: From Crushing Defeats to Losing Streaks
The highly anticipated Rugby World Cup is just around the corner, promising a plethora of thrilling matches. While the tournament is often filled with glory and joy, there are also some unwanted records associated with the event. Let’s take a closer look at some of these records that have plagued the history of the Rugby World Cup.
One of the most undesirable records belongs to Japan, who faced the mighty All Blacks in 1995, only to suffer a devastating defeat with a final score of 145-17 in favor of New Zealand. This match stands as the highest number of points ever conceded in a single Rugby World Cup game.
Namibia, on the other hand, holds the records for the second and third highest points conceded in a single match. Their 2003 clash against Australia resulted in a crushing 142-0 loss, followed by an 111-13 loss against England in the same year.
Talking about losing margins, Namibia once again finds itself at the forefront, with their 142-0 defeat against Australia in 2003 landing them the record for the biggest losing margin in a Rugby World Cup match. Japan’s 145-17 loss to the All Blacks in 1995 took the second spot, while New Zealand’s 101-3 victory over Italy in 1999 secured the third spot.
Moving on to the most tries conceded in a single match, Namibia ranks at the top with 22 tries against them in their 2003 loss to Australia. Japan follows closely with 21 tries conceded in their 1995 encounter with the All Blacks, and Uruguay falls in third place with 17 tries conceded against England in the same year.
Shifting focus to the finals, France unfortunately holds the worst win percentage, having lost in the finals in 1987, 1999, and 2011, resulting in a 0% win rate. England stands as the second-worst performing country in terms of win rate, with only one win out of four finals, making it 25%. Australia, with two wins out of four finals, holds a win rate of 50%.
In terms of losing appearances, Namibian player Eugene Jantjies has the unfortunate distinction of holding the record for the most consecutive losses in Rugby World Cup matches, with 14 consecutive losses between 2007 and 2019. Ovidiu Tonita of Romania and DTH van der Merwe of Canada closely follow with 12 consecutive losses each.
Lastly, when it comes to red cards, Canada tops the list with four red cards in Rugby World Cup history. Two of these red cards were received during a match against the Springboks in 1995, with one each in 1999 and 2019. Samoa and Tonga trail closely behind with three red cards each, while Argentina, South Africa, Uruguay, and Wales have two red cards each.
As the Rugby World Cup approaches, teams will undoubtedly strive to create records for victories and memorable moments, aiming to rewrite history in a more positive light. Whether they break existing records or set new ones, the anticipation and excitement of this global tournament are sure to captivate fans around the world.
“Infuriatingly humble tv expert. Friendly student. Travel fanatic. Bacon fan. Unable to type with boxing gloves on.”