Zimbabwe at the Rugby World Cup

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Map of nations best results, excluding nations which unsuccessfully participated in qualifying tournaments.

Zimbabwe have made two Rugby World Cup appearances – in 1987 and 1991.

In the 1987 Rugby World Cup, Zimbabwe's national rugby team was invited as the African entrant. No other African countries were invited, as South Africa was disqualified from the tournament due to a sporting boycott adopted by the international community in response to apartheid.

However, Zimbabwe succeeded in getting through 1991 Rugby World Cup qualifying, and hosted the Africa qualifications. In more recent years, the Namibia national rugby union team has generally defeated Zimbabwe in African qualifying rounds.

Nation	Number of appearances	First appearance	Most recent appearance	Streak	Best result
Zimbabwe	2	1987	1991	2	No games won

By position[]

• 1987 Rugby World Cup Eliminated in pool stages
• 1991 Rugby World Cup Eliminated in pool stages
• 1995 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify.
• 1999 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify.
• 2003 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify.
• 2007 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify.
• 2011 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify.
• 2015 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify.
• 2019 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify.

Matches[]

1987 Rugby World Cup[]

Pool 4 games –

Team v t	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	tries	Pts
France	3	2	1	0	145	44	25	5
Scotland	3	2	1	0	135	69	22	5
Romania	3	1	0	2	61	130	5	2
Zimbabwe	3	0	0	3	53	151	5	0

23 May 1987

Romania	21–20	Zimbabwe
Tries: Paraschiv Toader Hodorca Pen: Alexandru (3)		Tries: Tsimba (2) Con: Ferreira Pen: Ferreira (2)

Eden Park, Auckland Referee: Stephen Hilditch

30 May 1987

Scotland	60–21	Zimbabwe
Tries: Tait (2) Tukalo (2) Duncan (2) Paxton (2) Oliver Hastings Jeffrey Con: Hastings (8)		Try: Buitendag Con: Grobler Pen: Grobler (5)

Athletic Park, Wellington Referee: David Burnett

2 June 1987

France	70–12	Zimbabwe
Tries: Modin (3) Camberabero (3) Charvet (2) Rodriguez (2) Durboca Esteve Laporte Con: Camberabero (9)		Try: Con: Grobler Pen: Grobler (2)

Eden Park, Auckland Referee: Derek Bevan

1991 Rugby World Cup[]

Pool 2 games –

Team v t	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Pts
Scotland	3	3	0	0	122	36	6
Ireland	3	2	0	1	102	51	4
Japan	3	1	0	2	77	87	2
Zimbabwe	3	0	0	3	31	158	0

6 October 1991

Ireland	55–11	Zimbabwe
Tries: Robinson (4), Popplewell (2), Geoghegan, Curtis Con: Keyes (4) Pen: Keyes (5)		Tries: Dawson, Pen:

Lansdowne Road, Dublin Referee: Keith Lawrence

9 October 1991

Scotland	51–12	Zimbabwe
Tries: Tukalo (3), Turnbull, S. Hastings, Stanger, Weir, White Con: Dods (5) Pen: Dods (2) Drop:		Tries: Garvey (2) Con: Currin (2)

Murrayfield, Edinburgh Referee: Don Reordan

14 October 1991

Japan	52–8	Zimbabwe
Tries: Yoshida (2), Mashuho (2), Kutsuki (2), Horikoshi, Luaiufi, Matsuo Con: Hosokawa (2) Pen: Hosokawa (4)		Tries: Tsimba,

Ravenhill, Belfast Referee: Rene Hourquet

1995 Rugby World Cup[]

Did not qualify.

1999 Rugby World Cup[]

Did not qualify.

2003 Rugby World Cup[]

Did not qualify.

2007 Rugby World Cup[]

Did not qualify.

2011 Rugby World Cup[]

Did not qualify.

2015 Rugby World Cup[]

Did not qualify.

2019 Rugby World Cup[]

Did not qualify.

Overall record[]

Country	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	%
Romania	1	0	0	1	20	21	−1	0
Ireland	1	0	0	1	11	55	−44	0
Japan	1	0	0	1	8	52	−44	0
France	1	0	0	1	12	70	−58	0
Scotland	2	0	0	2	33	113	−80	0
TOTAL	6	0	0	6	105	373	−268	0

Team Records[]

Most Points in a Tournament

• 53 (1987)
• 31 (1991)

Most Points in a Game

• 21 vs  Scotland (1987)
• 20 vs  Romania (1987)
• 12 vs  Scotland (1991)
• 12 vs  France (1987)

Biggest Winning Margin

NIL

Highest Score Against

• 70 vs  France (1987)
• 60 vs  Scotland (1987)
• 55 vs  Ireland (1991)
• 52 vs  Japan (1991)
• 51 vs  Scotland (1991)

Biggest Losing Margin

• 58 vs  France (1987)
• 44 vs  Ireland (1991)
• 44 vs  Japan (1991)
• 39 vs  Scotland (1987)
• 39 vs  Scotland (1991)

Most Tries in a Game

• 3 vs  Romania (1987)
• 2 vs  Scotland (1991)
• 2 vs  Ireland (1991)
• 2 vs  Japan (1991)

Individual records[]

Most appearances

• 6 (1987, 1991)
• 5 Richard Tsimba (1987, 1991)
• 4 (1987, 1991)
• 4 (1987, 1991)
• 4 (1987, 1991)

Most points overall

• 25 Marthinus Grobler (1987)
• 12 Richard Tsimba (1987, 1991)
• 11 (1987, 1991)
• 8 Adrian Garvey (1991)

Most points in a game

• 17 vs  Scotland - Marthinus Grobler (1987)
• 8 vs  Scotland - Adrian Garvey (1991)
• 8 vs  Romania - (1987)
• 6 vs  Romania - Richard Tsimba (1987)

Most tries overall

• 2 Richard Tsimba (1987, 1991)
• 2 Adrian Garvey (1991)

Most penalty goals

• 7 Marthinus Grobler (1987)
• 3 (1987, 1991)

Most penalty goals in a game

• 5 vs  Scotland - Marthinus Grobler (1987)
• 2 vs  France - Marthinus Grobler (1987)
• 2 vs  Romania - (1987)
• 1 vs  Ireland - (1991)

Hosting[]

So far Zimbabwe has not hosted any World Cup games.

References[]

• Davies, Gerald (2004) The History of the Rugby World Cup (Sanctuary Publishing Ltd, (ISBN 1860746020)
• Farr-Jones, Nick, (2003). Story of the Rugby World Cup, Australian Post Corporation, (ISBN 0-642-36811-2)