Rugby World Cup: The moments that have won it

All Black captain David Kirk goes over for a try during the Rugby World Cup Final in 1987. Photo / Getty Images

June 20, 1987, Eden Park: NZ 29, France 9

The inaugural final, best of the south hosting the best of the north.

The decisive moment came deep into the second half. The All Blacks had started to impose themselves but needed a second try to give themselves some comfort room.

It came when captain David Kirk moved right from a scrum around the French 22. He passed to first five-eighths Grant Fox, who flicked the ball back infield to Michael Jones, who had made his debut in the cup and became one of its stars.

Kirk hustled up on Jones' shoulder, took the final pass and sprinted the few metres to the French line. He knew its importance immediately, thumping the ground in relief and delight.

Kirk initiated the final try for John Kirwan shortly after, but it was the skipper's own score which broke the French backs.

Nov 2, 1991, Twickenham: Aust 12, England 6

England tried to run the ball, when they had made the final with a stolid, dour game plan. The only try came before halftime. Australian No 8 Willie Ofahengaue won a lineout just off the England line. The forwards drove in behind and prop Tony Daly scored the only try of the match.

Australia were 9-3 up at halftime and were unyielding in their defensive commitment against an English team which eschewed their strengths, perhaps baited by criticism of their style. It proved to be a bad error of judgment.

June 24, 1995, J'burg: South Africa 15, NZ 12

An epic afternoon in the sun, in which the hosts won the Webb Ellis Cup at their first attempt. No tries, but piles of drama.

Nine-all at fulltime - two penalties and a dropped goal apiece for Joel Stransky and Andrew Mehrtens.

The All Blacks went ahead when Mehrtens added his third penalty; Stransky squared it up, before the match-winning moment.

Playing in extra time, Stransky eyed the posts and coolly drop-kicked his second goal from 30m.

Nov 6, 1999, Cardiff: Australia 35, France 12

A grumpy match in which Australia took exception to rough-house French tactics before pulling away in the second half.

They led 12-6 at halftime, eased out to 21-12 thanks to Matt Burke's goalkicking, before the decisive score came in the form of wing Ben Tune's runaway try. That shut the door on the French before Owen Finegan's injury-time try iced the Wallaby cake.

Nov 22, 2003, Sydney: England 20, Aust 17

This one's simple. In the final minute, Jonny Wilkinson's right-footed drop goal won the cup for England after 20 minutes of strength-sapping extra time.

There were two tries earlier, from rival wings Lote Tuqiri and Jason Robinson. Sharp goalkicking from Elton Flatley - bringing the Aussies level 14-all in the last seconds of normal time - and Wilkinson dominated the rest of the scoring, before the blond Englishman wrote his name into English sporting folklore.

Oct 20, 2007, Paris: Sth. Africa 15, England 6

Desperately turgid fare - Percy Montgomery and Frans Steyn outkicking Wilkinson.

Indeed the decisive moment came early in the second half when wing Mark Cueto was ruled to have brushed the touchline in the act of scoring in the corner. South Africa led 9-3 at halftime. That try might not have changed the outcome, but it couldn't have failed to improve a game which was rightly quickly forgotten.