ABSTRACT
The 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) in New Zealand provides an opportune moment to look back and consider the development of the tournament alongside the globalization of the sport in the period since 1987. Shaped around an analysis of the North/South balance of power in the game, this paper offers an appraisal of where the sport now sits and considers some of the challenges ahead. Although the events of the 2011 RWC show how many things have changed since the inaugural event of 1987, it is also clear that some things remain the same. This paper considers the positioning of the sport as an international game and reflects on the status of its flagship event.
