Quesada - penalty king in 1999. (Getty Images)

By Andrew Baldock, PA Sport

* The first World Cup game was played at Eden Park, Auckland on May 22, 1987, when New Zealand beat Italy 70-6.

* The four previous World Cup-winning captains are David Kirk (New Zealand), Nick Farr-Jones (Australia), Francois Pienaar (South Africa) and John Eales (Australia).

* The four previous World Cup finals have been held at Eden Park (1987), Twickenham (1991), Ellis Park, Johannesburg (1995) and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium (1999).

* Only one World Cup final has failed to produce a try - South Africa's 15-12 success against New Zealand in 1995, which was decided after extra-time.

* Scotland's Gavin Hastings holds the record for most World Cup points - 227 - which he compiled between 1987 and 1995.

* New Zealand's Jonah Lomu has scored 15 World Cup tries - four more than his nearest rival, former England wing Rory Underwood.

* Argentina fly-half Gonzalo Quesada kicked a World Cup-record 31 penalties during the 1999 tournament.

* New Zealand hold the record for the World Cup's biggest victory, destroying Japan 145-17 at Bloemfontein in 1995.

* Fly-half Simon Culhane scored a World Cup record 45 points in the same game, and All Blacks wing Marc Ellis claimed a record six tries.

* New Zealand (145-17 v Japan, 101-3 v Italy) and England (101-10 v Tonga) are only the teams to have scored 100 points or more in a World Cup game.

* Ireland hooker Keith Wood holds the record for most tries scored by a forward in a World Cup match. He scored four against the United States in 1999.

* South African Jannie De Beer kicked a record six drop-goals during the 1999 World Cup. Five of them were in the quarter-final against England.

* New Zealand have the best record of any competing World Cup country, reaching two finals and two semi-finals.

* Welshman Huw Richards was the first player sent off in a World Cup, being dismissed during Wales' 1987 semi-final defeat against New Zealand.

* Three players were sent off during South Africa's victory over Canada in 1995 - Springbok hooker James Dalton and the Canadian pair Gareth Rees and Rod Snow.

* One of the biggest World Cup shocks was Samoa's 16-13 victory over Wales in 1991. They repeated the feat eight years later.

* Legendary All Blacks flanker Michael Jones missed the 1991 World Cup semi-final against Australia. Because of his religious beliefs, he refused to play on a Sunday.

* Two host nations have won the World Cup - New Zealand (1987) and South Africa (1995).

* Georgia will make their debut in the final stages of a World Cup when they face England in Perth, Australia on October 12.

* The World Cup will return to Europe in 2007, when France stages rugby union's global spectacular.