Most Rugby World Cup Titles: Springboks Top List With 4 Championships After Epic Win vs New Zealand

The Rugby World Cup has produced four different champions in ten editions since the inaugural tournament took place in 1987.

The Webb Ellis Cup remains with South Africa after the Springboks recorded a thrilling victory over the All Blacks in the 2023 final.

Sports Brief looks at the countries with the most World Cup titles following South Africa's historic win at Stade de France on Saturday night.

South Africa (4 titles)

The Springboks now hold the record for the most Rugby World Cup titles in the history of the event.

South Africa defeated New Zealand on Saturday to claim their fourth championship. They previously won titles in 1995, 2007, and 2019.

The Boks went unbeaten in the 1995 edition, winning all of their six matches to nab their first world championship.

South Africa's showing in the pool stage wasn’t impressive at all, defeating the countries of Australia, Romania, and Canada by a combined 42 points.

They improved their play in the quarter-finals, beating Western Samoa 42-14 to book a spot in the semis.

The Springboks had to dig deep in the semi-finals, beating powerhouse France 19-15 to secure a place in the final.

South Africa needed extra time to win the 1995 final, with the Boks edging past the All Blacks 15-12 in a thriller.

Joel Stransky was the hero in that contest, kicking all of South Africa's points to give the Boks their first-ever World Cup crown.

South Africa had to wait 12 years to win their second title, capturing the championship in 2007.

The Springboks dismantled the competition in Pool A, beating England, Tonga, Samoa, and the United States by an average of 35.5 points in their opening four matches.

South Africa continued their excellent play in the quarters, beating Fiji 37-20 to set up a showdown with Argentina in the semis.

The Springboks eased past the Pumas 37-13 to arrange a blockbuster showdown with defending champions England in the final.

Points were hard to come by in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final, but the Boks still managed to pull through. They recorded a 15-6 victory over the English to claim their second title.

South Africa's 2019 campaign started horribly for them, losing to two-time defending champions New Zealand 23-13 in their opening pool match.

It's not how you start, though, but how you finish. They went unbeaten in their last six matches to capture their third Rugby World Cup championship that year.

They eased past Namibia, Italy, and Canada in the pool stage to qualify for the knockout rounds. The Boks then defeated host nation Japan 26-3 in the quarter-finals to set up a semis showdown with Wales.

South Africa edged past the Welsh 19-16 in that match to return to the final after 12 years.

The Springboks then outclassed England in the championship match, recording a comprehensive 32-12 victory to capture the coveted Webb Ellis Cup.

Nothing will beat the road South Africa took to win their fourth Rugby World Cup title in 2023.

The Springboks recorded one-point wins in each of their knockout games to capture the trophy in France.

They defeated the host nation 29-28 in the quarters, beat England 16-15 in come-from-behind fashion in the semis, and outlasted 14-man New Zealand 12-11 in the final, per the BBC.

New Zealand (3 titles)

The All Blacks no longer hold the record for most Rugby World Cup titles in the tournament’s history.

New Zealand are stuck with three titles after a gut-wrenching loss to South Africa in the final on Saturday night. They captured the championship in 1987, 2011, and 2015.

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They went undefeated in the inaugural tournament back in 1987, winning all of their six matches that year to grab their first Rugby World Cup title.

New Zealand demolished the competition in the pool stage, beating Italy, Fiji, and Argentina by an average of 52 points.

The All Blacks continued their superb play in the knockout rounds, beating Scotland 30-3 in the quarters, defeating Wales 49-6 in the semi-finals, and easing past France 29-9 in the final.

The All Blacks had to wait 24 years to win their second title, bringing home the trophy in the 2011 edition.

New Zealand went unbeaten in the pool stage, winning their first four matches against France, Tonga, Canada, and Japan by an average of 47.8 points.

They defeated Argentina 33-10 in the quarters and beat rivals Australia 20-6 in the semis to set up a showdown with France in the championship match.

The 2011 final was a low-scoring affair, with New Zealand pulling off a narrow 8-7 victory over France, per The Guardian.

The All Blacks successfully defended their title in 2015, going unbeaten that year to win the Rugby World Cup for a third time.

They navigated the pool stage with ease, defeating Argentina, Georgia, Tonga, and Namibia by an average of 31.3 points.

The All Blacks continued their excellent play in the quarter-finals, thrashing France 62-13. New Zealand finally were tested in the semis, with the All Blacks recording a narrow 20-18 victory over the Springboks.

New Zealand then outclassed Australia 34-17 in the championship match to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.

Richie McCaw made history in that contest, becoming the first captain to win back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles.

Kolisi melts hearts with Kolbe hug

Siya Kolisi matched Richie McCaw's feat, becoming the second captain to win back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles.

South African fans praised Kolisi for his outstanding display in the final, but it was his actions after the final whistle that melted the hearts of Springboks supporters all over the world.