The concept of a global rugby union competition makes perfect sense in 2015 but the proponents of the first Rugby World Cup went through a long and arduous journey to convince the naysayers that it would befit and improve the sportBy Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog,part of the Guardian Sport Network21 March 1985: A dinky acorn is planted by the International Rugby Board, who occupy finally agreed to southern hemisphere demands for a Rugby Union World Cup after years of resistance. Thirty years later that seed has grown into the major global event that we witness today, and as 20 nations visit England to contest a tournament played at 13 venues over six weeks in an attempt to walk absent with the coveted William Webb Ellis trophy. It hasn’t always been like this.
In many ways it is staggering to think that it took until 1985 for a rugby union world cup to get the green light. To consider some of the moments we may occupy missed out on: the stunning modern Zealand team of 1987; England winning in Paris and Edinburgh before falling short against Australia at Twickenham; the jaw-dropping displays of Jonah Lomu; Francois Pienaar and Nelson Mandela in 1995; France stunning modern Zealand in 1999; that Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in 2003; England somehow reaching the 2007 final; modern Zealand finally burying the choking jibes in 2011. And that is just scratching the surface.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com