' s ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup , ▁first ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ; ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁through ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁held ▁every ▁four ▁years . ▁After ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁event , ▁the ▁tournament ▁was ▁brought ▁forward ▁a ▁year ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁to ▁avoid ▁cl ash ing ▁with ▁other ▁sport ing ▁cycles , ▁in ▁particular ▁the ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁Se vens ▁competition . ▁The ▁Women ' s ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁returned ▁to ▁a ▁four - year ▁cycle ▁after ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁with ▁future ▁compet itions ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁men ' s ▁World ▁Cup ▁cycle . ▁ ▁Major ▁international ▁compet itions ▁ ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁ ▁The ▁most ▁important ▁competition ▁in ▁rugby ▁union ▁is ▁the ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup , ▁a ▁men ' s ▁tournament ▁that ▁has ▁taken ▁place ▁every ▁four ▁years ▁since ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁event ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁South ▁Africa ▁are ▁the ▁reign ing ▁champions , ▁having ▁defeated ▁England ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁in ▁Y ok oh ama . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁South ▁Africa ▁have ▁each ▁won ▁the ▁title ▁three ▁times ▁( New ▁Zealand : ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 ; ▁South ▁Africa : ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 ), ▁Australia ▁have