The story of the Rugby World Cup: Aussies party like it's 1999 as All Blacks stunned by Les Bleus

With just under six weeks to go until the 2023 Rugby World Cup kicks off in Paris, we're looking back at the history of the tournament, from its origins in New Zealand and Australia 36 years ago, to its tenth instalment in France this September.

This weekend we're looking back at the 1999 renewal.

Wales were the hosts for the tournament, which, for the first time, consisted of 20 teams, up from 16 in the previous three editions.

The Webb Ellis Cup remained in the southern hemisphere with Australia getting the better of France in the final, the Wallabies claiming their second title.

The Hosts

The tournament returned to the northern hemisphere again after the success of the 1995 version in South Africa and the pool games were spread across host-nation Wales, Ireland, England, Scotland and France.

As well as Lansdowne Road, Ravenhill (Australia v Romania) and Thomond Park (Australia v United States) hosted games in Ireland's pool.

Glasgow’s Hampden Park was also used for South Africa’s game against Uruguay in Pool A.

Built especially for the World Cup, Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, with a capacity of 72,500, hosted the final.

The additional four teams added to the competition meant that quarter-final play-offs were needed. It consisted of three matches between the second-place teams from each pool and the best third-place team.

Famously, Ireland lost their knock-out match against Argentina in Lens. It was the first and last time that the round was used.

Pools

Pool A: South Africa, Scotland, Spain, Uruguay

Pool B: New Zealand, England, Italy, Tonga

Pool C: France, Fiji, Canada, Namibia

Pool D: Wales, Argentina, Samoa, Japan

Pool E: Ireland, Australia, United States, Romania

Ireland

In the pantheon of dark days in the Rugby World Cup