Rugby World Cup 1995 I On this day: Tragedy, triumph and turmoil in dramatic third round

The third round of the 1995 Rugby World Cup began in tragedy.

The match between Tonga and Ivory Coast had barely kicked off when Ivorian wing Max Brito collected a high ball. He was tackled fairly, but following the ensuing ruck, Brito was left prone on his back. He had been paralysed in a freak accident.

It remains the darkest day in the history of the Rugby World Cup. Brito was quickly airlifted to hospital, but the damage was permanent. He would spend 25 years in a wheelchair before passing away in 2022 at the age of 54.

The match itself was otherwise forgettable, as the two teams fought to avoid finishing bottom of their pool. The West Africans showed improvement from their opening game, where they at times appeared unfamiliar with the rules.

The more experienced Tongans were always in control and secured a 29–11 victory. The match was played in Rustenburg in front of about 8 000 local fans, who passionately supported the underdogs. When Ivorian flanker Alfred Okou scored his team’s try, the celebration was so intense it felt as if they had won the game.

The Australia vs Romania fixture was the first international played in Stellenbosch. The venue was selected in honour of South African rugby legend Danie Craven, who lived there for many years and passed away in 1993.

The Wallabies wore striking green jerseys with yellow hoops to avoid a colour clash with Romania’s yellow kit. They also used the match as an opportunity to give their backup players a run.

Among them were future Australian rugby legends George Gregan, John Eales, David Wilson, Matthew Burke, Tim Horan, and Joe Roff — players who would form the core of the Wallabies' 1999 World Cup-winning side. They proved too strong for the Romanians, who conceded six tries in a 42–3 defeat, with flying wing Joe Roff scoring twice.

One of the tournament’s best matches took place at Loftus Versfeld between France and Scotland. Dubbed “The Eliminator”, the clash carried high stakes: the loser would face the formidable All Blacks in the quarter-final.

The match had the intensity of a knockout fixture and was only decided in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The Scots had been leading 19–15 and were desperate for referee Wayne Erickson to blow the final whistle — only for French wing Émile Ntamack to score after a prolonged siege in the Scottish 22.

It was the final movement of the match. Scottish hearts were broken, but they had missed their chances earlier. The usually reliable goal-kicker Gavin Hastings endured a nightmare with the boot, a stark contrast to the precision of French centre Thierry Lacroix.

It was a brutal contest between the Six Nations rivals — France’s Philippe Benetton (No 8) and scrum-half Guy Accoceberry both suffered broken arms. France edged it 22–19, with Lacroix kicking five penalties and converting Ntamack’s try. Scotland flanker Rob Wainwright scored his side’s sole try.

The Springboks ended the round with a match against Canada that lives on in infamy.

“The Battle of Boet Erasmus” was triggered by a Canadian side, who appeared to have a premeditated plan to provoke the Boks into losing their composure.

South Africa’s coach, Kitch Christie, was known for his strict discipline, but even he could not prevent tensions from boiling over. With 10 minutes remaining, the breaking point was reached and a mass brawl erupted.

In total, five players were suspended: Pieter Hendriks and James Dalton of South Africa, and Gareth Rees, Rod Snow and Scott Stewart of Canada.

Adriaan Richter, the Blue Bulls No 8, who had scored two tries against Romania in the Boks’ previous fixture, repeated the feat. South Africa won 20–0, with the remaining points kicked by Joel Stransky.