Five of the best Rugby World Cup matches

With the 2011 Rugby World Cup starting on Friday, The National Sport picks out five of the most memorable matches from the previous six tournaments, including a couple examples of French flair and Lomu's destruction of England.

1987 semi-final  Australia 24-30 France

French flair eventually prevailed over a more pragmatic Australian side on their home patch, but this match could have gone either way with a place in the inaugural final at stake.

Australia led 9-0 and 15-12 yet the pre-tournament favourites could not get out of reach of the gritty French even with the faithful boot of Michael Lynagh and the threat of David Campese on the wing.

The Wallabies were ahead 24-21 into the final stages, when Didier Camberabero slotted his fourth penalty to level.

Even back in 1987, France were a threat from any point on the pitch and the great exponents of counter-attacking rugby provided a match-winning try worthy of the occasion.

The ball was shipped through 11 pairs of hands before reaching the full-back Serge Blanco, who still had to beat the cover with pace and strength, to go over in the corner.

1995 semi-final England 29-45 New Zealand

A mis-match in more ways than one with the All Blacks stampeding over England in a devastating 20-minute spell to book their place in the 1995 final against South Africa.

Four tries from Jonah Lomu, just a 20 year old at the time, is one of the greatest individual performances at any World Cup. He swatted away England's captain, Will Carling, and Tony Underwood, before walking through the full-back Mike Catt and almost dragging Rob Andrew with him to the try-line.

The match was a farce, with the great All Blacks No 8 Zinzan Brooke also scoring a drop-goal. Even a Pizza Hut advert was made due to Lomu's exploits.

More bizarrely, England actually outscored their opponents in the second half through tries from Carling and Rory Underwood. But the damage was already done.

1995 final South Africa 15-12 New Zealand (after extra time)

After the demolition of England, Jonah Lomu was the only thing standing in the way of something of fairy-tale finale for the hosts South Africa.

Yet the fired-up Springboks pack nullified the giant winger and the match boiled down to a kicking duel between the Springboks' Joel Stransky and the All Blacks' Andrew Merhtens. A single Stransky drop-goal in extra-time sealed it.

But that only tells half the story. This match had huge social and political significance and the sight of Nelson Mandela lifting the World Cup wearing the No 6 shirt of the captain, Francois Pienaar, is one of the most iconic images in sport. A nation was united.

1999 semi-final New Zealand 31-43 France

This game ranking as one of the biggest shocks and comebacks in World Cup history. Before the start of the semi-final at Twickenham, the French were not given a hope and they looked dead and buried when the All Blacks opened up a 24-10 lead.

But then France did what only they can do by launching a stirring revival to stun New Zealand.

Christophe Lamaison was never meant to be a prominent player at the 1999 World Cup due to an injury to Thomas Castaignede, the mercurial fly-half yet he masterminded the turnaround with an attacking display which yielded 28 points, including a try, four conversions, three penalties and two drop goals.

2007 Pool A match Wales 34-38 Fiji

Pool matches are usually straightforward affairs, with few rarely boiling down to a decider to see who makes the quarter-finals. This, however, was different, much different.

Fiji, not really renowned at 15-a-side, were the surprise package in Pool A and left Wales trailing 25-3 into the second half. Yet the Welsh rallied and scored 26-unanswered points, including a wonder try from Shane Williams, to lead by four.

But back Fiji came again, regaining the lead through two penalties from the fly-half Nicky Little, who suffered a terrible knee injury during the match, to lead 31-29.

The match continued to ebb and flow and Martyn Williams intercepted a pass from his own half to gallop to the corner to give the Welsh a 34-31 lead with six minutes to go.

Then, three minutes from time, the Fijians threw everything forward towards the Welsh try-line. Off the back of a ruck, barely a metre off the line, Graham Dewes bundled over, and after a agonising wait from the video referee, sent Fiji through.