 Thus far the only nations to host and win a tournament are New Zealand ( 1987 and 2011 ) and South Africa ( 1995 ) . The performance of other host nations includes England ( 1991 final hosts ) and Australia ( 2003 hosts ) finishing runners @-@ up . France ( 2007 hosts ) finished fourth , while Wales ( 1999 hosts ) failed to reach the semi @-@ finals . Wales became the first host nation to be eliminated at the pool stages in 1991 , while , England became the first solo host nation to be eliminated at the pool stages in 2015 . Of the twenty @-@ five nations that have ever participated in at least one tournament , twelve of them have never missed a tournament . 
