Who is the best World Cup winning team ever?

Definitely all RWC winners is worthy called the best in their reign as World Champs . It is simple . What really stands out is the knockout punch and tactics used to get passed the teams opponent . No team get to pick their own opponent so the argument of a teams easy run in poolstages is nul & void . What stands out of the world cup is the final two contenders of each final played ‘87 - NZ - FRA / ‘91 - AUS-ENG / ‘95 - SA -NZ / ‘99-AUS-FRA / ‘03-AUS-ENG / ‘07-SA-ENG / ‘11 - NZ-FRA / ‘15-NZ-AUS / ‘19-SA-ENG #NZ Played 4 finals won 3 @ 75% #AUS Played 4 finals won 2 @ 50% #ENG Played 4 finals won 1 @ 25% #FRA Played 3 finals won 0 @ 00% #SA Played 3 finals won 3 @ 100% In the 9 finals that was played there was always 9 Southern Hemisphere finalists and 7 Northern Hemisphere finalists with a 88.88% (8) Winners from the Southern Hemisphere & 12.22% Winners (1) from the Northern Hemisphere now that tells the real story . SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE RUGBY RULES

This is a toughie, a real toughie, but as is my want, I'll have a stab. I'm just going to go on overall quality of the team first, followed by performances. Pre-divined things like 1995, or a black Boks captain in 2019 are side issues. It's a subjective exercise, so consensus will be elusive. Here goes: 1. 2015 All Blacks (NZL). 2. 1999 Wallabies (AUS). 3. 2003 Roses (ENG). 4. 1987 All Blacks (NZL). 5. 2007 Springboks (RSA).

Well Campo's try is consigned to history due to the pass to Horan, thats whats remembered. Kirwans try will have been replayed through the decades far more often, and still is, so doing it for you doesnt mean a lot. And I'm downplaying, thats funny. Campos best times were the 84 tour of the UK.

A try against Italy circa 1987 just doesn’t do it for me. An excellent game against the ABs in a semi final carries more weight. Downplay Campo’s try all you like but when comparing quality of opposition and magnitude of situation, yes I rate it better than Kirwin’s.

Don’t agree Campos 91 was better than Kiwanis 87. The Italy try going through the entire side directly in front of him is unparalleled in rugby. The Vs Wales tackle on Evans was the tackle of the tournament. All I recall from Campese in 91 was a run across the field to score in the corner, big deal. If anything, it’s a highlight because Kieran was beaten, not for the run alone. JK did that as well in the final, but went straight. The other was the pass to Horan, his real highlight.

Obviously not. In 91 Oz gave Ireland their best chance of ever qualifying for a semi…NZ gave zip chance of anyone winning a match in 87. Numbers don’t lie. Simple. When you’re worst score in an entire tournament is 29-9 it’s can only suggest one thing. Total domination of all sides. And you’re ‘opinion’ is that another side that has a pool win over Samoa 9-3, a quarter of 18-17, scoring at the death to stay in the tournament, and a 12-6 final win is a better side. You’re dreaming. Comparably…because that’s all we can do, is compare- the margins are singly the best method of comparing different World Cup efforts. And on that comparison, only 99 compares favourably, though still less.

The rugby team performance against Georgia would have struggled to win NPC second divisions?

That rugby team performance against Georgia wouldn't have won the NPC second division in it's day?

Some massive calls in there Targa. Just to start, and not a huge Campo admirer, but Campo’s 91 RWC performance was better than Kirwin’s 87 RWC. Indeed, Campo got the ball rolling in the 91 semi by sliding past Kirwin for the first try and then there was the magic between he, Lynagh and Horan for the 2nd. Campo was player of tournament. But didn’t they play on opposite wings? I’d have both before Habana. The debate between Horan and Nonu will rage on forever. Horan player of tournament in 99. Both have claims. No positions are iron clad except Carter and McCaw.

Why not pick a best ever Rugby World Cup winning side. I'd go 15 John Gallagher 1987 ABs (edges Matt Burke and Ben Smith) 14 John Kirwan 1987 ABs (edges Campo) 13 Conrad Smith 2011 and 2015 ABs 12 Maa Nonu 2011 and 2015 ABs (edges Tim Horan) 11 Bryan Habana 2007 Boks 10 Daniel Carter 2011 and 2015 ABs (edges Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Larkham) 9 Joost van der Westhuizen 1995 Boks (edges Nick Farr Jones and Aaron Smith) 8 Duane Vermuleun 2019 Boks (edges Buck Shelford, Toutai Kefu, and Kieran Read) 7 Richie McCaw 2011 and 2015 ABs (edges Michael Jones) 6 Jerome Kaino 2011 and 2015 ABs (edges Schalk Burger) 5 John Eales 1991 and 1999 Wallabies 4 Martin Johnson 2003 England (edges Victor Matfield and Brodie Retallick) 3 Os Du Randt 1995 and 2007 Boks 2 Sean Fitzpatrick 1987 ABs 1 Steve McDowell 1987 ABs 4 from 1987 ABs 1 from 91 Wallabies (Eales 91) 2 from 95 Boks (Du Randt in 95) 1 from 99 Wallabies (Eales again) 1 from 2003 England 2 from 2007 Boks (Du Randt again) 5 from 2011 ABs (same 5 in 2015 5 from 2015 ABS (same 5 from 2011) 1 from 2019 Boks The 2015 ABs played better rugby than the 2011 side, so it is clearly either the 1987 All Blacks or 2015 All Blacks.

Of course they would as the 87 ABs are all in their 50s or 60s!

Boks 1987 to 1991 were an awfully strong team. Yes, I know they didn't get to Test themselves against quality opposition and I'm not sure the NZ Cavaliers were the best NZ could put on the Park, but just looking at some of the names on the team sheet. Carl Du Plessis, Danie Gerber, Michael du Plessis, Gart Wright, Naas Botha,, Andre Joubert, Jaco Reinach.... And that's just the backline. Forwards had the likes of Uli Schmidt... They would have been tough to beat if they participated in those 2 World Cups.

Boks 2015 also lost a pool game against.... Japan.

And yet the history books will always remember that the Boks won the World Cup and the rugby championship, and the All Blacks came third in both.

OK, firstly, it is extremely rare to have 15 players involved in a try. You seem to oick and choose which finals you deem “worthy” Look at the run ups to the trophy for the teams above. Talking play offs and finals, looking at just a final in isolation is judging a team on one performance, but I suppose it is your prerogative how you judge teams. New Zealand stand out in 1987 and 2015 Next most is South Africa. Anyway, you brought up the tries scored in finals, and New Zealand are the only ones who scored three tries in final matches. Just a question WTF does 57 points have to do with the discussion? Or do you hang the weight of your argument on what the AB’s did to South Africa when they were in the gutter? And by the way, I didn’t intend to argue the point with you, I merely provided you the statistics.

Ummmm yes Pieter, we've established when the Bokke returned to international rugby and oh btw, did we ever establish that when that happened, it also meant that the referees were chosen by the IRB and not, either of NZRU or SARU. Luckily for my ABs team then because low and behold, we finally started to overcome our own ability and eventually defeat the Bokke both at home and over in SA-land. What a marvel outcome that's become.....never mind, you are right with your stats and in that instance, I acknowledge the Bokke achievements, to date.

Now you're being too diplomatic......surely, you have to include 2015 in there somewhere???

Sorry Faith but, I didn't.....however, I did give big-ups to the '99 side.

And why not CV when the powers that be, went out of their way to encourage the game, to open up. We will differ on how our respective sides achieved their goals and so be it.....but when I say dour, then that's exactly what it was.....the game being won by the exemplary performance of a golden boot rather than an exemplary performance of 5 or 10 or even 15 players, all having an involvement with scoring a try. Blah.....tell me something else if you can like the Bokke put 57pts on the ABs and then perhaps, we talk typical turkey.