Скачать или смотреть Rugby World Cup 1999 - Broadcast Opening Sequence (HD Re-Upload)

Copyright (c) 1999 World Rugby

As the end of the millennium ticked closer, the game of rugby union ushered itself to its professional era through the fourth Rugby World Cup, which is held from 1 October to 6 November 1999. Being set in Wales, the tournament came in a time of renewed confidence in Wales and being Welsh - that was Cool Cymru of the 1990s.

Although the 1999 Cup was mostly played in Wales, organizers had an agreement that allows some matches to be held by the four other unions of the Five Nations Championship - England, France, Scotland and Ireland.

This edition saw the Rugby World Cup expand to 20 teams from the previous 16, divided into five pools of four teams, and the qualification process for the tournament was overhauled; unlike 1991 and 1995, only four nations received automatic qualification - Wales, South Africa, New Zealand and France. The 1999 Cup saw the introduction of a repechage, effectively a second chance for teams that had finished runners-up in each qualifying zone.

There were very real concerns and doubts about whether or not the then half-built £121-millon Millennium Stadium - now called the Principality Stadium - would even be completed in time for the tournament. After much deliberation, including a suggestion it should be built in Bridgend, the decision was made to bulldoze the original National Stadium and build a new venue with a roof on the same site in the centre of Cardiff - all within three years.

Yet, all doubts were cleared off as the stadium went fully operational just in time to stage an opening ceremony unprecedented in scale and ambition, external for a Rugby World Cup, which begun with hosts Wales beating Argentina 23-18, as Colin Charvis scores the first try of the tournament.

Australia, in the end, goes on to become the first side to win the Rugby World Cup twice, securing it with a 35-12 triumph in the final over France, who were unable to repeat their semi-final victory over pre-tournament favourites New Zealand in one of the greatest World Cup encounters ever.