Rugby World Cup: average number of tackles by team per game 1987-2023
In the 32 years spanning from the first men's Rugby World Cup in 1987 to the 2023 tournament held in France, the average number of tackles by team per game has risen dramatically from 48 to 169. The most protracted leap in terms of percentage came between the 1995 and 1999 World Cups when there was over a 40 percent jump in the average number of tackles. These four years were a pivotal period in the history of rugby union, seeing the professionalization of the sport in August 1995. Following this, the sport underwent many changes, such as higher fitness levels among players and increasing average ball-in-play time per game.
