The previous segment comprised of comprehensive records and statistics of the RWC focused on tournament and team records. In this article, the focal point will revolve around individual and miscellaneous records at the highest stage.
Point Records
In overall RWC history, Johnny Wilkinson holds the record for the highest career points scored. After appearing in 4 tournaments, Wilkinson piled up 277 points which include a try, 28 conversions, 58 penalties and 14 drop goals. Gavin Hastings of Scotland is next behind him with 227 points.
All Blacks fly half Grant Fox has scored most points in a single tournament. His 126 points came during their title winning campaign in 1987. Simon Culhane’s 45 against Japan in 1995 remains the most number of points by a player in a single match.
Try Records
Superstar Jonah Lomu has scored 15 tries during his RWC career, the most by a player. Alongside Brian Habana of South Africa, he also holds the record for most tries in a single tournament (8 tries in 1999). Habana achieved the feat in 2007. Marc Ellis of New Zealand scored 6 tries against Japan in 1995, the most by a single player in a game. At the age of 19 years and 166 days, Welshman George North is the youngest try scorer in RWC history while Diego Ormaechea is the oldest (40 years 13 days).
Alan Whetton (1987) and Jonah Lomu (1999) of New Zealand hold the record for scoring tries in 5 consecutive games during a single RWC while All Blacks Hooker Sean Fitzpatrick had to wait 14 matches before scoring his first World Cup try. Making his debut in the 1987 tournament, he scored his first try in 1995.
Prop Jason Leonard’s 22 match World Cup career from 1991 to 2003 never saw him scoring a try, which is the longest World Cup career without a try.
Penalty Records
Jonny Wilkinson’s 58 penalties stand as the all-time highest penalty record in the World Cup. However, Pumas star Gonzalo Quesada slotted 31 penalties during the 1999 RWC, during which Argentina only reached the quarterfinals. It remains the highest number of penalties in single tournament.
Matt Burke (vs South Africa 1999), Gonzalo Quesada (vs Samoa 1999), Gavin Hastings (vs Tonga 1995), Thierry Lacroix (vs Ireland 1995) jointly hold the record for most penalties in a game (8).
Drop Goal Records
During his RWC career, Jonny Wilkinson scored 14 drop goals, including his memorable kick against Australia during the 2003 finals. Out of the 14, 8 were during the 2003 edition. Both stand as records.
Jannie de Beer’s 5 wonderful drop goals against England in 1999 remain the most in a single game.
Appearance Records
Jason Leonard appeared for England between 1991 and 2003 playing in 22 games, most World Cup matches by a player.
Will Carling, Martin Johnson (England), Raphael Ibanez (France), and John Smit (South Africa) have played the most matches as captains (11), while Brian Lima of Samoa carries the longest RWC career span of 15 years and 351 days (1991-2007).
Thretton Palamo appeared for USA against South Africa in 2007 becoming the youngest ever to play in a RWC (19 years 8 days). Jonah Lomu is the youngest (20 years 43 days) to appear in a World Cup final while Francoise Steyn (20 years 159 days) is the youngest to win a World Cup.
Diego Ormaechea of Uruguay is the oldest player to appear in the RWC. The Uruguayan skipper was 40 years old when he made his debut in 1999. He is also the oldest captain to lead a team in the World Cup. Sam Warburton of Wales is the youngest captain (22 years 341 days). Brad Thorn of New Zealand is the oldest to appear in a final as well as the oldest to win the Webb Ellis (36 years 262 days).
Miscellaneous
Italian Hooker Fabio Ongaro has received 3 yellow cards in 9 appearances for his team, most yellow cards by a single player. Sixteen players have been red carded throughout RWC history but no one has been red carded twice during his World Cup career.
George Gregan and Jason Leonard have achieved the most number of wins (16) during their World Cup careers while Francoise Steyn holds a 100% winning record, appearing in 11 matches.
Romeo Gontineac of Romania and Hugo Horn of Namibia have experienced 11 losses each while Horn has not appeared in a winning list throughout his World Cup career. Hirotoki Onozawa has played 12 consecutive games without a win from 2003-2007.
From 1995 to 2003, Joe Roff was a part of 13 consecutive wins, the most by a player; he also holds the record for the longest undefeated streak.
Scotsman Doddie Weir has played 9 World Cup matches (1991-1999) at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, most matches on a single ground by a player while the Twickenham Stadium at London has witnessed 66 points scored by Johnny Wilkinson (1999) the most number of individual points at a single venue. Marc Ellis (1995) has scored 6 tries at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, the most number of tries at a venue by a player in the World Cup.
Out of the players who have won the Webb Ellis, only 6 have won it twice. Out of them, five are Australians. John Eales, Dan Crowley, Phil Kearns, Jason Little and Tim Horan were World Cup winners for Australia in both 1991 and 1999. Os du Randt was part of the South African teams who won it in 1995 and 2007.
Having already produced mouthwatering encounters, the 2015 showdown could certainly eclipse existing records, in what is expected to be a RWC to behold.
