The 2019 Rugby World Cup Review from Rugby256 perspective enjoy

Siya Kolisi, Flanker and South Africa's first black Captain.

The etching on the Webb Ellis Trophy was finished minutes before the final whistle.

Caption: Steven Kitshoff (17) and Vincent Koch part of Coach Rassie Erasmus's 'bomb squad' replaces Tendai Mtawarira (in the centre) and Faans Mahherbe (not in the picture).

Springbok's Loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira aka the beast with the Wife after beating England 32-12 in the final.

Springbok's Loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira aka the beast with the Wife after beating England 32-12 in the final.

South Africa Rugby Captain Siya Kolisi, Prince Harry and Tendai Mtawarira in the South African changing room.

Springbok's Loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira aka the beast with the Webb Ellis Trophy after beating England 32-12 in the final.

RG Snyman and Lood de Jager with the Webb Ellis Trophy.

Springboks half back Far de Klerk with the Webb Ellis Cup in his briefs at their changing room shortly after beating England 32-12 in the final at the International Stadium Yokohama.

Springbok's Loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira aka the beast with the Webb Ellis Trophy after beating England 32-12 in the final.

Springbock lock Eben Etzebeth.

1st Centre Damian De Allende.

Top try scorer Makazole Mapimpi (6 tries)with the Webb Ellis Trophy.

Siya Kolisi and teams mates lift the Webb Ellis on the podium. 2019 RWC Champions after 12 long years.

Africa's best is at number 1. The next best in Africa, Namibia is at 23.

Africa's 3rd best, Kenya is at 32 followed by the 2019 Victoria Cup winners Zimbabwe at 34. Tunisia follows at 39 and Uganda will finish the year at 41 globally. Uganda should target to get back into 30s and target to reach and stay in the 20 over next 2 years.

 World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont with the Uganda Rugby President Mr. Kayangwe Godwin having a light moment in Japan.

Ugandan Rugby fans from Legends on 2nd November after South Africa lifted the Webb Ellis.

Uganda Rugby President Mr. Kayangwe Godwin standing next to the Webb Ellis in Japan.

Springboks Captain Siya Kolisi with the Webb Ellis Trophy.

The Springboks are deserved 2019 RWC winners with a stunning 32-12 victory over England. South Africa now has 3 titles equal to New Zealand, Australia has 2 titles and England 1. The first Rugby World Cup to be held in Asia tore apart many records and will be cherished for decades to come. South Africa became the first Country to win both the Rugby Championship and the Rugby World Cup in the same year. They also became the first team to lose a game at the pool stages and win the Cup.

The English who came into the final as Rugby256's favourites to win it seemed a bit lost for most periods of the game. The Boks were solid on their set pieces and defended bravely and smartly. The English failed to cross their try line. The early exchanges by the halftime break were deceptive and the Boks went for the break with a narrow 12-06 lead. The English seem to have succumbed to an old ‘rugby curse'. No team ever beats New Zealand and have gone on to win the Cup; the earlier examples are France in 1999, Australia in 2003 and France in 2007.

The Springboks Head Coach has proven to all doubting Thomases that at 47 years old he is among the very best in the World. He took over the reins in barely 2 years ago albeit hesitatingly and that he has molded the players into World beaters in a period shorter than his competitors had (Warren Garland, Eddie Jones, Steve Hansen and Australia’s Cheika). He got awarded with the World Coach of the year 2019.

The World Rugby Awards were held at The Prince Park Tower only 24 hours after South Africa won the final in Tokyo. South Africa also won the 2019 team of the year award beating off competition from England, Wales, New Zealand and Japan. Pieter-Steph du Toit the Springboks evergreen flanker was awarded Rugby Player 2019. He beat off competition from Tom Curry, Alun Wyn Jones, Cheslin Kolbe, Ardie Saves and Joe Taufete'e of the USA.

The Springboks Captain Siya Kolisi became the first black man to lift the most treasured Cup in World Rugby. His storyline from his humble beginnings to the lifting of the Webb Ellis Trophy is stuff for a blockbuster movie or Television series. It all ended well with the Springboks and scenes of their celebrations in the changing room have gone viral with Prince Harry joining and congratulating them.

The Records have fallen carelessly in Japan:Record attendance at 99.3% with 1.84 million tickets sold out; Record 1.13 million people in the fanzones; Record 54.8 million Television audience for the Japan vs Scotland game; Record 437 Billion Yen economic impact; Record more than 1.7 Billion digital video views and a record attendance of 90,103 spectators at the final at the International Stadium, Yokohama.

Japan have been great hosts and the World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont had this to say:

“Rugby World Cup 2019 has been one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all time, and certainly the most ground breaking in terms of bringing the game to new audiences and attracting new fans to the sport we love.

On behalf of the whole global rugby family, I would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts Japan and the Japanese people for being such wonderful, humble and history making hosts.

While South Africa will rightly take home the Webb Ellis Cup following their outstanding victory, the amazing Brave Blossoms undoubtedly brought some of the most memorable moments of the tournament…”

Rugby256 made predictions through out the 6 weeks long competition. We got many right and few wrong. The biggest wrong call was obviously the final where we thought England would win it based on largely the manner in which England overcame the All Blacks as compared to the way South Africa struggled against Wales.

All our predictions for the winners of the semis and quarters were spot on! At the pool stages we made a few wrong calls. In Pool A we had predicted Ireland would top the group followed by Scotland. Japan beat both to top the pool. In Pool C we had predicted Argentina would finish 2nd but France grabbed that slot behind England. In pool D our prediction had Australia as the top team followed by Wales but it became the other way around.

The 2019 RWC has been gigantic and that is very good for the entire ‘World in Union'. The bar has been raised too high and we shall await the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. Great thanks to all the players, officials, participating teams, fans, volunteers, World Rugby and its global partners and last and not least, the Japanese people.

*Rugby 256* salutes the entire rugby fraternity for the all they do for Rugby. Hope you enjoyed Rugby World Cup 2019. Do not forget to spread “The World Rugby Core Values: Integrity, Passion, Solidarity, Discipline and Respect......“ We always appreciate you liking our official

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