2019: A look back

Rugby World Cup: Welcoming hosts and Boks class acts

Japan captain Michael Leitch leading his team in thanking the crowd after losing their World Cup quarter-final to eventual champions South Africa.
Japan captain Michael Leitch leading his team in thanking the crowd after losing their World Cup quarter-final to eventual champions South Africa. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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South Africa broke new ground by becoming the first team to win the Rugby World Cup after losing a pool match, and the first side to claim the Webb Ellis Cup and the Rugby Championship in the same year.

But the significance of the Rainbow Nation's 32-12 victory over England in the final - for their third title - lies in more than just a set of statistics.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 30, 2019, with the headline Rugby World Cup: Welcoming hosts and Boks class acts. Subscribe