Five Great Performances
MARTIN JOHNSON (Australia 17 ENGLAND 20 - November 22, 2003)
The England captain's international swansong was as sweet as they come as he helped Sir Clive Woodward's side become the first northern hemisphere winner of the Webb Ellis Trophy.
Jonny Wilkinson's last-gasp drop goal winner grabbed the headlines, but Johnson was a massive presence and dragged the favourites through a nerve-jangling clash with the host in Sydney.
Brilliant in the lineout, colossal in contact, the Leicester second row truly led from the front.
CHRISTOPHE LAMAISON (FRANCE 43 New Zealand 31 - October 31, 1999)
A late addition to Les Bleus' starting line-up, Lamaison was an unlikely star of the greatest World Cup match ever.
After the No.10 had scored an early try, the French found themselves 24-10 down at Twickenham and facing an expected exit at the hands of the overwhelming favourites.
But Lamaison landed two penalties and drop goals to reduce the arrears, and then had a hand in the underdogs' three further tries - most memorably with a crossfield kick, gathered and touched down brilliantly by Richard Dourthe - which sealed a place in the final.
The former Brive back finished the match with an unblemished kicking record.
JANNIE DE BEER (England 21 SOUTH AFRICA 44 - October 24, 1999)
Another perfect kicking game, another surprise star.
De Beer was frequently derided as a limited ball player during his career, which later took in Saracens, but his top-class skills with the boot were enough to see off England in a tactical battle in Paris.
Well in touch at the interval, Woodward's men were blown away by De Beer's second-half onslaught, which included a world-record five drop goals as he eventually ended the match with a haul of 34 points - the best ever by a Springbok.
The five-eighth's fifth drop, from 45 yards wide out right, could only have been landed by a man in the form of his life.
JONAH LOMU (England 29 NEW ZEALAND 45 - June 18, 1995)
A star was, if not born, then certainly confirmed at Newlands as a then just 20-year-old Lomu battered England into submission with a four-try blitz in the semi-final.
The match was all but over after 20 minutes as England failed spectacularly to deal with the bullocking, 19-stone Kiwi winger.
The sight of proven internationals Tony Underwood, Will Carling and Mike Catt left slack-jawed on the turf after bouncing off the Lomu steamroller is one of the tournament's abiding memories.
DAVID CAMPESE (AUSTRALIA 16 New Zealand 6 - October 27, 1991)
The legendary Australian winger gained most notoriety in the 1991 tournament for goading England into changing its conservative tactics for the final - a move that handed the Wallabies the title on a plate.
But his best work was done in the semi-final against the All Blacks, where his dashing early try, cutting in from the wing at a brilliant angle, set the tone.
It was, however, his role in the second Wallabies touchdown which entered rugby folklore.
Gathering a chip from Michael Lynagh he was closed down by two defenders and seemingly going nowhere.
But drawing in both men he managed to offload a blind, over-the-shoulder pass which was collected by Tim Horan for the try.
A defining match in one of the game's greatest careers.