THE WORLD'S BIGGEST RUGBY STAGE
Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 is coming to Australia.
Twenty-four nations. One trophy. Six weeks of unforgettable rugby.
As the Official Ball Supplier of Men's Rugby World Cup 2027, Gilbert will be there for every kick, every try and every defining moment. Explore the teams, discover the technology behind the official match ball, relive iconic moments from Rugby World Cup history and get ready for the road to the RWC 2027 Final.
Explore the official collections, stories, fixtures and more for every nation.
Passion in every tackle. Pride in every jersey. Back Los Pumas as they fight for Argentina on the world stage.
Los Pumas
3rd - 2007
1987
A nation ready to rise. A home crowd behind them. Back the Wallabies as they chase glory on home soil.
Wallabies
2 - 1991, 1999
1987
A proud rugby nation back where it belongs. Stand with Canada as they return ready to take on the world.
The Maples
1987
Quarter-Finals - 1991
A rising force with fearless ambition. Back Los Cóndores as Chile spreads its wings on rugby’s biggest stage.
A proud history. A nation expecting. Back England as the Red Rose takes on the world in pursuit of glory.
1987
1 - 2003
Red Rose
Fearless rugby. Unmistakable flair. Back Fiji as they bring their unique style and Pacific pride to the world stage.
Flying Fijians
1987
Quarter-Finals - 1987, 2007, 2023
Fearless, creative, unmistakably French. Back Les Bleus as they bring their flair and ambition to the world stage.
Les Blues
1987
Runners-up - 1987, 1999, 2011
Built on strength. Driven by pride. Back the Lelos as Georgia takes its fearless rugby to the world stage.
The Lelos
2003
Pool Phase
A first appearance. A landmark moment. Back Hong Kong China as they make history on rugby’s biggest stage.
2027
One team. One island. One dream. Stand with Ireland as they take their ambition to rugby’s biggest stage.
1987
Quarter-Finals
Passion, ambition and Italian flair. Back the Azzurri as they take on the world and write their next chapter.
Speed, spirit and belief without limits. Back the Brave Blossoms as they look to inspire the world once again.
A legacy like no other. A standard set for generations. Back the All Blacks as they hunt for glory once again.
All Blacks
1987
3 - 1987, 2011, 2015
Fearless, fast and ready for more. Back Os Lobos as Portugal looks to make its mark on the world stage.
Os Lobos
2007
Pool Phase
Deep roots. Proud history. New ambition. Back the Oaks as Romania takes its place among the world’s best.
The Oaks
1987
Pool Phase
Power, pride and generations of rugby tradition. Back Manu Samoa as they carry the spirit of Samoa onto the world stage.
Manu Samoa
1991
Quarter-Finals - 1991, 1995
Pride in the jersey. Fire in the heart. Stand with Scotland as they battle for glory on the world stage.
1987
4th - 1991
A legacy of passion. A future of greatness. Back South Africa as they chase glory on rugby’s biggest stage.
4 - 1995, 2007, 2019, 2023
A new chapter. A fearless opportunity. Back Los Leones as Spain returns ready to make its mark on the world.
A proud Pacific nation with rugby in its blood. Back ’Ikale Tahi as Tonga takes its passion to the world.
ʻIkale Tahi
1987
Pool Phase
Small nation. Huge heart. Endless belief. Back Los Teros as Uruguay takes its fighting spirit to the world stage.
Los Teros
1999
Pool Phase
Ambition rising. Opportunity calling. Back the Eagles as they take American rugby onto the world’s biggest stage.
Eagles
1987
Pool Phase
Where rugby runs deep and the red jersey means everything. Back Wales as they take their passion to the world.
1987
3rd - 1987
A proud rugby story begins a new chapter. Back the Sables as Zimbabwe returns to the game’s biggest stage.
Part of History
Since 1995
A look back at Men's Rugby World Cup and the key
moments that made each tournament memorable,
with Gilbert at the centre of every tournament.
ALL BLACKS WIN THE INAUGURAL TOURNAMENT
The 1987 Rugby World Cup marked the beginning of a new era for international rugby, bringing 16 nations together in New Zealand and Australia for the sport's first global championship. It was dominated by the All Blacks, combining powerful forward play with an exciting attacking side featuring stars such as Grant Fox, Michael Jones and John Kirwan. After emphatic victories over Scotland and Wales in the knockout stages, New Zealand met France in the final, where they completed their dominant campaign with a 29–9 victory. Captain David Kirk became the first man to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, establishing New Zealand as rugby's first world champions.
The entire tournament was the highlight as this first competition established the four-yearly global showpiece that would transform international rugby. The 16 invited nations has now turned into a qualification process, expanding to 24 teams.
New Zealand's success was built around a formidable team; David Kirk, John Kirwan, Michael Jones, Sean Fitzpatrick, Grant Fox and Wayne Shelford. Grant Fox was particularly influential, finishing as the tournament's leading points scorer with 126 points.
GLOBAL GROWTH FOR THE GAME
The second ever Rugby World cup with Australia claiming victory, defeating hosts England 12-6 in a tactical final at Twickenham. Australia nearly didn't make it as Ireland led Australia late into the quarter final match until Michael Lynagh scored a dramatic last minute try, securing a 19-18 Wallabies victory. England's road to the final saw them defeat France and Scotland where Gavin Hastings missed penalty sealed the Scots fate.
One of the greatest upsets in RWC history saw Western Samoa defeat Wales 16-13 in Cardiff and helped Western Samoa reach the quarter final in there world cup debut.
Australian Winger David Campese stole the show as the tournaments stand-out player. He scored 6 tries, was named Player of the Tournament and produced one of rugby's most famous tries with his no-look pass to Tim Horan in the semi-final.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
The 1995 Rugby World Cup transcended sport, as hosts South Africa completed a remarkable unbeaten campaign to become world champions. Against the backdrop of a country emerging from apartheid, the Springboks secured a 15–12 victory and South Africa’s first Webb Ellis Cup. The tournament’s defining image came when President Nelson Mandela, wearing captain François Pienaar’s No.6 Springbok jersey, presented Pienaar with the trophy, creating one of sport’s most enduring symbols of unity and reconciliation.
South Africa's win on home soil.
Remembered above all for Nelson Mandela's role in using rugby to help unite a divided South Africa.
The first tournament to use a Gilbert ball, marking a continued partnership between Gilbert and RWC. The first use of the Barbarian Match Ball.
The emergence of Jonah Lomu as the sports first global icon, scoring 7 tries with 4 of those scored against England in the semi final.
A NEW ERA. TWO-TIME CHAMPIONS
The 1999 Rugby World Cup marked the beginning of a new era for the competition, becoming the first tournament of rugby’s professional age and expanding from 16 to 20 nations. It was ultimately defined by a superb Australian side, led by captain John Eales. They met France in the final but Australia proved too strong, winning 35–12. The victory gave the Wallabies their second Webb Ellis Cup following their 1991 triumph and made Australia the first nation in history to become two-time Rugby World Cup champions.
An outstanding tournament performance from the Wallabies in which they conceded just 31 points in six matches.
The Revolution introduced multi-laminate synthetic materials and rubber compounds. It featured bonded multi-colored rubber ellipses for improved visual tracking and enhanced surface grip in wet conditions.
Jonah Lomu was one of the tournament's biggest stars. Jannie de Beer kicking display throughout the tournament is still regarded as one of the greatest individual Rugby World Cup performances.
ENGLAND WIN THEIR FIRST MEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP
England entered the 2003 Rugby World Cup among the favourites and, led by captain Martin Johnson, went unbeaten on their way to a final against defending champions and host nation Australia in Sydney. In a dramatic contest that went into extra time, England secured a 20–17 victory through arguably the most famous moment in rugby history, as Jonny Wilkinson struck a drop goal with just 26 seconds remaining. The victory saw England avenge their defeat to the Wallabies in the 1991 World Cup final and, more significantly, become the first Northern Hemisphere nation to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, a distinction they still hold today.
A strong display by the Northern Hemisphere with England claiming the trophy and Wales producing an unexpected campaign and gave New Zealand and England a scare in both respective matches.
Debut of the XACT Match Ball, the innovation for this ball was a distinct, raised pimple pattern with increased height and wider dispersion to dramatically improve player handling.
Johnny Wilkinson finished the tournament as leading points scorer with 113 points, and finessed the drop goal throughout the competition and dove-tailed perfectly with Jason Robinson's electric footwork.
A NEW TWO-TIME WINNER
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was ultimately defined by a dominant South African campaign, as the Springboks went unbeaten throughout the tournament to claim their second RWC title. After making a statement by thrashing defending champions England 36–0 in the pool stage, South Africa progressed through the knockouts with victories over Fiji and Argentina before meeting England again in the final at the Stade de France. In a tense, tryless contest, the Springboks’ powerful forward play, defence and kicking proved decisive, with Percy Montgomery scoring 12 points in a 15–6 victory.
This tournament did not favour the traditional favourites with both Australia and New Zealand eliminated in the quarter finals whilst Argentina made it to the last 4. Also, Portugal made their RWC debut.
Synergie Match Ball was the first Gilbert RWC ball to feature a tournament look and feel. The new Multi Matrix 3D Grip (a mix of star and round patterns) combined with aerodynamic surface tweaks significantly improved handling and offloading capabilities.
Bryan Habana became the superstar of this tournament, scoring 8 tries and equalling Jonah Lomu's previous record for most tries scored in a RWC.
24 YEAR WAIT
The All Blacks entered the tournament carrying enormous expectations. Losing star fly-half Dan Carter to injury began an extraordinary series of setbacks at the position. Led by captain Richie McCaw, New Zealand remained unbeaten, overcoming Argentina and Australia to reach a final against France. Having comfortably beaten the French earlier in the tournament, the All Blacks found themselves in a nerve-racking contest in which France pushed them to the limit. Tony Woodcock's try and a crucial penalty from unlikely hero Stephen Donald ultimately proved enough, with New Zealand defending a one-point advantage to win 8–7. The victory gave the All Blacks their second Webb Ellis Cup and became one of the most significant triumphs in New Zealand sporting history.
Wales produced one of their best Rugby World Cup campaigns, reaching the semi-finals. Tonga defeated France in a RWC upset in the pool stages, France however still prevailed and reached the final.
The Virtuo Match Ball introduced a copolymer "air-loc" bladder and modified valve placement designed to provide superior air retention, shape stability, and optimal aerodynamic spin rates.
Stephen Donald was the unexpected hero for New Zealand after a late call up due to the All Blacks being plagued with injury, he kicked the decisive penalty that brought home the RWC.
CONSECUTIVE WORLD CHAMPIONS
The 2015 Rugby World Cup was defined by one of the greatest All Blacks sides completing a historic defence of their title. Led by captain Richie McCaw and inspired by Dan Carter, New Zealand went unbeaten, producing a spectacular 62–13 quarter-final demolition of France before surviving a 20–18 semi-final against South Africa. They faced rivals Australia in the final, establishing a commanding lead before the Wallabies fought back to 21–17. New Zealand responded with Carter's crucial drop goal, turning the momentum before Beauden Barrett's late try sealed a 34–17 victory. This made New Zealand the first nation to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups and the first to claim three titles, while McCaw became the first captain to lift the trophy twice. It was a fitting farewell for an extraordinary generation of All Blacks, with McCaw, Carter, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith all retiring as consecutive world champions.
For hosts England, the tournament was a major disappointment. Defeats to Wales and Australia meant England became the first host nation in Rugby World Cup history to be eliminated during the pool stage.
The Match-XV Ball adopted the tournaments vibrant graphic accents. The ball introduced a softer rubber compound designed to increase surface grip while dispersing water faster to maintain handling control in wet conditions.
New Zealand winger Julian Savea scored eight tries, equalling the single-tournament record previously set by Jonah Lomu and Bryan Habana.
HISTORY MADE
The 2019 Rugby World Cup was defined by South Africa's remarkable journey from an opening defeat to becoming world champions for a third time. After losing their first match to New Zealand, the Springboks steadily built momentum under coach Rassie Erasmus, overcoming hosts Japan and Wales to set up a final against an England side fresh from a stunning semi-final victory over the defending champion All Blacks. Led by captain Siya Kolisi, South Africa dominated England physically, using their powerful forward pack, scrum and famed "Bomb Squad" to take control before tries from Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe sealed an emphatic 32–12 victory. The triumph made South Africa the first nation to win the World Cup after losing a pool-stage match. Most significantly, Kolisi became the first Black captain to lead the Springboks to World Cup glory, giving the victory a wider significance for South Africa and creating one of the tournament's most memorable images as he lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in Yokohama.
2019 represented an important moment in rugby's global expansion. It was the first RWC held outside rugby's traditional heartlands and the first staged in Asia, while Japan's success helped make the host nation one of the tournament's defining stories.
Named after the brightest star in the night sky (a binary star system), mirroring its dual-height precision star-shaped pimples, the Sirius Match Ball. Featuring the largest total surface area, with sharper, more defined pimples designed to disperse water quickly without degrading aerodynamic performance or kicking stability.
Pieter-Steph du Toit's outstanding work rate throughout the Springboks’ title run earned himself 2019 World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year.
The Springboks became the first nation to win a record fourth Webb Ellis Cup. After finishing behind Ireland in their pool, Kolisi's side defeated hosts France 29–28 in a thrilling quarter-final before recovering late to edge England 16–15 in the semi-final. They faced old rivals New Zealand in the final, where Handré Pollard kicked all 12 of South Africa's points and the Springboks survived a fierce All Blacks fightback to win 12–11. The triumph saw Siya Kolisi lead his country to back-to-back world titles, cementing this Springbok generation's place among rugby's greatest teams and making South Africa the most successful nation in Men's Rugby World Cup history.
Away from the Springboks back-to-back titles, Portugal were one of the tournament's great stories. After drawing with Georgia, they produced a dramatic victory over Fiji, securing their first-ever Rugby World Cup win.
The iNNOVO Match Ball featured a duo valve built directly in-seam. This re-engineers weight distribution across the ball, providing superior flight balance, rotational accuracy, and a larger sweet spot for kickers. This ball was designed alongside tech partner Sportable to integrate connected "Smart Ball" microchip tracking technology into the ball.
New Zealand's Will Jordan scored 8 tries, equalling the record for most tries in a single RWC, while Owen Farrell was the tournaments leading points scorer.
WEBB ELLIS CUP
The Webb Ellis Cup is one of sport’s most iconic trophies, first awarded at the inaugural Men's Rugby World Cup in 1987 when New Zealand captain David Kirk lifted it at Eden Park. Crafted in 1906 from sterling silver and gilded in 24-carat gold, the trophy was named after William Webb Ellis, whose legendary act of picking up the ball and running with it came to symbolise the birth of rugby. That ball was a Gilbert ball.
There is only one Webb Ellis Cup, and only Men's Rugby World Cup winners, Heads of State and selected World Rugby officials are permitted to touch it without gloves. Standing 47.2cm tall and weighing 4.5kg, it has travelled the world as cabin baggage under the watch of an authorised World Rugby representative. And despite champions from across the globe lifting it, England remain the only Northern Hemisphere nation to have won the trophy, following their famous triumph in 2003.
Experience every moment of the action in Australia. Discover official Rugby World Cup 2027 rugby balls, nation-inspired supporter balls, gifts, accessories and more.
The Moments. The Players. The Journey.
