<Tr> <Th> Most tries </Th> <Td> Craig Green John Kirwan (6 tries each) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> 1991 → </Td> </Tr> <P> The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby Union World Cup . New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the tournament . New Zealand hosted 20 matches--17 pool stage matches, two quarter - finals and the final . Australia as the junior partner hosted 12 matches--seven pool matches, two quarter - finals and both semi-finals . The event was won by co-hosts New Zealand who were the strong favourites, and won all their matches comfortably . France were losing finalists, and Wales surprise third - place winners: Australia, having been second favourites, finished fourth after conceding crucial tries in the dying seconds of both the semi-final against France and the third - place play - off against Wales . </P> <P> Sixteen teams competed in the inaugural tournament . Seven of the 16 places were automatically filled by the International Rugby Football Board members--New Zealand, Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France . South Africa was unable to compete because of the international sports boycott due to apartheid . There was no qualification process to fill the remaining nine spots . Instead invitations were sent out to Argentina, Fiji, Italy, Canada, Romania, Tonga, Japan, Zimbabwe and the United States . This left Western Samoa controversially excluded, despite their better playing standard than some of the teams invited . The USSR were to be invited but they refused the invitation on political grounds, allegedly due to the continued IRFB membership of South Africa . </P>

Where was the 1987 rugby world cup held