The north wins down under

By the time Australia hosted the 2003 tournament the Rugby World Cup had grown to be one of the world’s greatest sporting events. Media, commercial and public interest in rugby union had never been greater.

With Australia and New Zealand strolling through their early pool matches it again looked as if the northern hemisphere teams would struggle to break the southern stranglehold. Most matches were predictable and the tournament lacked excitement, until Wales threw caution to the wind.

After three uninspiring performances Wales faced New Zealand in their final pool match. With nothing to lose the Welsh, shorn of some of their leading lights, played magical offloading rugby and stunned their mighty opponents. Six minutes into the second half they were ahead. The All Blacks eventually restored natural order and ran out 53-37 winners, but they were rattled and no longer had an
air of invincibility.

In the quarter finals against England, Wales again took the game to their opponents. But with Mike Catt marshalling the men in white, England recovered to record a comfortable 28-17 victory.

England never looked back. They beat France convincingly in the semi-final, and in the final a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal seconds from the end of extra time spelled despair for Australia as the host were beaten 17-20 in Sydney.