Rugby World Cup on track to break try record

Nehe Milner-Skudder dives over for the first of two tries against Namibia. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Rugby World Cup is not yet a fortnight old but seems set to break the record for the most tries in the tournament.

Despite the penalty kick-dominated Wales-England pool match, already there have been 110 tries scored in the 19 matches played at an average of over five per game.

The 2003 tournament played on the hard grounds of Australia holds the record for the most tries scored in a single tournament. The white chalk was crossed 332 times across the full 96 matches at an average of 3.45 tries per game.

The last tournament played in New Zealand four years ago yielded a total of 262 tries.

Another try-scoring record under threat is Jonah Lomu's for the most tries in Cup history.

Australian winger Drew Mitchell scored twice against Uruguay to take his Cup record to 12 across the tournaments he has played in. Lomu scored 15 tries for the All Blacks across the 1995 and 1999 tournaments. Another ex-All Black winger Doug Howlett is currently second on the all-time list with 13 tries.

Not that Mitchell, who played in the 2007 and 2011 Cups, says overhauling the two All Blacks and setting a new mark is on his mind.

"'There are far more important things that we're trying to achieve as a group, and hopefully there's a bigger outcome," he said after the Uruguay match. "In terms of pressing claims, it's more about me crossing the line and finishing."

The All Blacks occupy the top three positions for the record for the most tries in a single tournament. They set a tournament high by crossing 52 times in seven matches at the 2003 event and also racked up 48 tries in 2007 despite being dumped out in the quarter finals and 43 tries in winning the Cup in 1987. Their success in 2011 was accomplished with 40 tries.