▁loose - forward ▁Hamilton ▁out p ac ed ▁w inger ▁David ▁Camp ese ▁over ▁half ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁pitch ▁for ▁a ▁try . ▁The ▁semi - final s ▁produced ▁two ▁tight ▁matches : ▁England ▁over c ame ▁their ▁Scottish ▁riv als ▁ 9 – 6 , ▁a ▁late ▁drop ▁goal ▁dec iding ▁a ▁try less ▁match ▁in ▁a ▁tor r ential ▁down p our ▁at ▁Murray field ▁Stadium , ▁and ▁Australia ▁defeated ▁the ▁def ending ▁world ▁champions ▁New ▁Zealand ▁ 1 6 – 6 ▁at ▁L ans d ow ne ▁Road . ▁ ▁The ▁World ▁Cup ▁Final ▁was ▁played ▁at ▁T wick en ham ▁Stadium ▁in ▁London , ▁and ▁saw ▁Australia ▁triumph ▁ 1 2 – 6 ▁against ▁England , ▁thanks ▁to ▁a ▁first - half ▁try ▁from ▁prop ▁Tony ▁Dal y . ▁ ▁Qual ification ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁ 1 6 ▁teams , ▁shown ▁by ▁region , ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup . ▁Of ▁the ▁ 1 6 ▁teams , ▁eight ▁of ▁those ▁places ▁were ▁automatically ▁filled ▁by ▁quarter - final ists ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁World ▁Cup ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁to ▁play ▁any ▁qual ification ▁matches . ▁ 2 5 ▁nations ▁competed ▁in ▁a ▁qual ification ▁process ▁designed ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁remaining ▁eight ▁sp ots , ▁bringing ▁the ▁total ▁participation ▁to ▁ 3 3 ▁nations . ▁In ▁the ▁event , ▁there ▁was ▁only ▁one ▁change ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁tournament , ▁with ▁Western ▁Sam oa ▁appearing ▁in