THE 16 teams who eventually contested RWC1987 did so entirely by invitation. No qualifying process. There were of course the eight founder members of the IRB, minus the temporarily banned Springboks, and they were joined by Japan, USA, Canada, Tonga, Fiji, Argentina, Italy, Zimbabwe and Romania. Russia were initially invited but they said Nyet, citing their disapproval of South Africa’s continuing position of power on the IRB committee despite their ban from playing. Western Samoa were shunned.
As for the tournament, it soon became apparent that there were significant start-up i...