Five World Cup records the 2015 tournament busted

FROM try-scoring bonanzas to the elimination of some of the world’s top sides, see the most impressive records to come out of this year’s tournament.

CARDIFF, WALES - OCTOBER 17: Richie McCaw of the All Blacks following the 2015 Rugby World Cup Quarter Final match between New Zealand and France at Millennium Stadium on October 17, 2015 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

THIS year’s Rugby World Cup has been an affair like no other.

Starting with Japan’s record defeat of 2007 world champions South Africa, the 2015 tournament has been one of the most unpredictably exciting in its history.

Already numerous records have been broken, with a number of feats on the edge of being broken as we head into the final stages.

Here are five of the top records smashed this year.

ENGLAND’S SHOCK EXIT

Chris Robshaw copped the brunt of England’s disappointing exit from the tournament on home soil.

BACK to back defeats for the Poms in pool matches against Wales and Australia meant the hosts would finish third in the notorious pool of death and fail to make the quarter finals.

This set the record for the first time a sole host nation has failed to reach the knockout stages of the tournament.

The only near comparison to this feat occurred in during the 1991 tournament when Wales failed to qualify past the pool stages.

Despite being the principal host nation, the Cup was anchored by more than one nation, with the majority of matches being played outside Welsh borders, spread across England, France, Scotland and Ireland. As a result of the split hosting, Wales did not qualify for said record.

THE YOUNGSTER

18-year-old Vasil Lobzhanidze is regularly the smallest player on any professional rugby field.

WHEN he took the field against Tonga in the second match of the World Cup, Georgian scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze became the youngest player ever to feature in the tournament.

At just 18 years and 340 days old, Lobzhanidze surpassed the record set in 2007 by the USA’s Thretton Palamo, who was 19 years and eight days old when he was capped as a replacement against South Africa.

Standing at just 175cm, with a playing weight of 75kg, Lobzhanidze has been a standout for Georgia this World Cup, and was pivotal in helping his side to an historic 17-10 victory over Tonga.

FRENCH DAY OF MOURNING

The French did not know what hit them.

AHEAD of the All Blacks match against France at Millennium Stadium, it is fair to say the majority of the rugby world expected them to walk away with the win.

With the French side in turmoil the week prior following the playing group’s incredible mutiny against sacked coach Philippe Saint-André, les Bleus were in no position to topple the current world champions.

Still, nobody expected the Kiwis to obliterate their Northern Hemisphere opponents with such force.

The All Blacks 62-13 victory saw the highest winning margin ever racked up during the knockout stages of the World Cup, and included a plethora of team and individual records for the New Zealand side.

The match also saw the highest ever score notched against a French side during a Test match, with the All Blacks beating their own 61-10 record set in 2007.

Needless to say it will be a day France as a nation will be looking to forget as soon as possible.

THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

Scotland’s last minute loss to Australia made them the final Northern Hemisphere side to drop out of the Cup.

HEADING into the quarter finals, there was the perfect split of nations from all around the globe.

Four from the north, four from the south, none of whom played against an opponent from the same part of the world.

The results however saw all four Northern Hemisphere sides trumped by their counterparts south of the equator, setting up the first time in World Cup history that no side from the frostier part of the world has managed to qualify for a semi-final.

Fans have revelled in this fact, labelling the 2015 semi-finals a re-vamped version of The Rugby Championship.

Thanks Nthn Hemisphere, on to the #RugbyChampionship now. 😆😆😆#RWC2015

— Lote Tuqiri (@LoteTuqiri) October 18, 2015

The #RWC2015 has now been cancelled and the Rugby Championship will run in its place! pic.twitter.com/weJKZc2ReR

— EatSleepRugby (@eatsleeprugby) October 19, 2015

Well done by SANZAR to move the Rugby Championship to England to grow the game. 1st NZ in USA then Samoa, AUS in USA now this. Selfless!

— JudgeRugby (@JudgeRugby) October 18, 2015

World Cup has been good but now the serious business of The Rugby Championship can begin.

— Paul Cully (@whiskeycully) October 18, 2015

300 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER

New Zealand sure do like scoring a try or nine.

YET another record to come from New Zealand’s utter destruction of the French saw the Kiwis break the 300 mark for total tries scored in the tournament since it began in 1987.

The nine-try haul at Millennium Stadium extended New Zealand’s already monumental try-scoring lead, but saw the world champions notch up yet another milestone.

To date, no other nation has made it to 200, giving the All Blacks a lead of over 100 tries.

And with Steve Hansen’s side progressing to the final four, they became the first nation to feature in seven World Cup semi-finals.

ON THE BRINK

Springbok winger Bryan Habana is one try away from two World Cup records.

JUST four games remain in this year’s tournament, with a number of milestones incredibly close to being broken.

South African winger Bryan Habana currently sits top of the table for the most tries scored in World Cups alongside All Blacks great Jonah Lomu with 15.

25-year-old Julian Savea currently shares their company for the record of most tries scored in a single tournament, with the trio holding eight a piece.

In addition to their already full bag of stats, if the Kiwis go on to beat South Africa at Twickenham on Sunday, they will secure the most consecutive wins across the global competition, breaking Australia’s record of 12 victories from 1999 until the 2003 final loss to England.