1999 Rugby World Cup - Pools & Format

Pools & Format

With the expansion of the Rugby World Cup from 16 to 20 teams an unusual and complex format was used with the teams split into five pools of four teams with each team playing each other in their group once.

• Pool A was played in Scotland
• Pool B was played in England
• Pool C was played in France
• Pool D was played in the principal host nation Wales
• Pool E was played in Ireland with matches played in both the Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland

Points System

The points system that was used in the pool stage was unchanged from both 1991 and 1995:

• 3 points for a win
• 2 points for a draw
• 1 point for playing

The five pool winners qualified automatically to the Quarter-Finals. The five pool runners-up and the best third place side qualified for the Quarter-final Play-offs.

Knock-out stage

The five group runners up and the best third place team from the group stage (which was Argentina) contested the Quarter Final Play-Offs in three one-off matches that decided the remaining three places in the Quarter-Finals, with the losers being eliminated. The unusual format meant that two Pool winners in the quarter-finals would have to play each other. From the Quarter Final stage it became a simple knockout tournament. The semi-final losers played off for third place. The Draw and format for the knock-out stage was set as follows.

Quarter-final Play-offs Draw

• Match H: Pool B Runner-up v Pool C Runner-up
• Match G: Pool A Runner-up v Pool D Runner-up
• Match F: Pool E Runner-up v Best Third Place Side

Quarter-finals Draw

• Match M: Pool D Winners v Pool E Winners
• Match J: Pool A Winners v Play-off H Winners
• Match L: Pool C Winners v Play-off F Winners
• Match K: Pool B Winners v Play-off G Winners

Semi-finals Draw

• Match J Winners v Match M Winners
• Match L Winners v Match K Winners

A total of 41 matches (30 Pool Stage & 11 Knock-out) were played throughout the tournament over 35 days from Friday 1 October 1999 to Saturday 6 November 1999.