England became the first northern hemisphere nation to win the Rugby World Cup, defeating Australia 20–17 in extra time in Sydney.
Key Facts
- Tournament edition
- 5th Rugby World Cup
- Winner
- England
- Final score
- England 20–17 Australia (AET)
- Winning drop-goal
- Jonny Wilkinson in extra time
- Opening match result
- Australia 24–8 Argentina
- Semi-final result
- Australia 22–10 New Zealand
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The tournament was originally planned as a co-hosted event between Australia and New Zealand, but a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Union and Rugby World Cup Limited forced all matches to be relocated to Australia. England entered as pre-tournament favourites, widely considered the world's best team at the time.
Twenty nations competed across Australia in the fifth Rugby World Cup. England progressed through the knockout rounds, while host Australia eliminated New Zealand 22–10 in the semi-finals. The final at Stadium Australia saw Jonny Wilkinson score four penalties and a crucial drop-goal in extra time, with Jason Robinson adding a try, to give England a 20–17 victory.
England became the first northern hemisphere team to win the Webb Ellis Cup and, as of 2025, remain the only such nation to have done so. The victory cemented England's status as a dominant force in world rugby during that era and elevated Jonny Wilkinson to iconic status in the sport.
Result
at Stadium Australia, Sydney