Twofold: Was this the best World Cup and what was the best game of this World Cup?

The IRB has stated that perhaps this has been the best World Cup in the tournaments' 24 year history. Personally i don't agree with this as there weren't any stand out games that will live long in the memory in terms of high scoring encounters from both sides, the quality of rugby on offer or any great comebacks. In 2003 Wales vs New Zealand was a brilliant match and encompassed all of the above as did Figi vs Wales in 07.
Perhaps the best matches in '11 were ireland vs Aus (due to the upset) but even so the standard of rugby wasn't particularly high, rather it was a great forward effort by the irish pack. Other contenders could have been New Zealand vs France in the 37-17 win. This was one the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the tournament and though the All Blacks were very impressive, the French were dire and they continued this form into their next match, which may have been the biggest upset ever, against Tonga. This to was a fantastic upset but the standard of the rugby again wasn't brilliant and I know this may be criticised as Tonga were magnificent but again this for is a reason why this world cup wasn't the best ever.
France were the worst team IMO to reach the final and yet they still did by beating a error strewn england and a Wales team hampered by that sending off. Australia seemed to lose that form that brought them the tri-nations and that Argentina team that encapsulated the 07 tournament weren't nearly as good and this year's fan favourite team Wales showed much promise but ended up losing 3 times.
Finally to sum up i believe this wasnt the best world cup, that honour IMO goes to '07 or '03, and I believe the best game of this world cup was.... to be honest i really don't know :S
do you agree what are you're thoughts? Over to you!

For me, South Africa in 1995 was the best. I loved every second of it and the people in South Africa were outstanding.

Best game for me.... Easy really as i am Irish but it was the Ire-Aus match. Edge of the seat stuff.

I think I am with eirebilly on South Africa in 1995... it was an astonishing tournament that was truly embraced by it's people and was a stunning showpiece for the country.

As I'm English you will need no guesses for my favourite match.

But the best.... 1999 France v New Zealand. It was just an unbelievable performance, so many individual moments of brilliance and the best game I have ever watched as a neutral.

I went for 07 because it had stunning games, upsets and the best concerted effort by the tier 2 nations that had been seen before (up until 2011) but even though it cannot be helped for some reason i thought the competition as a whole wasn't as good as 03 in aus despite the time difference being very similar.

Luvsports!

My apologies, I slightly misread the title and thought you were asking for best game ever, not best game in 2011.

There's a few contenders for this RWC.

France v Tonga... I spent most of this match with my jaw hanging down whilst scratching my head at the French decisions, but the game meant so much to the Tongans it was astonishing to see.

Ireland v Australia... good game & a great win by the Irish.

A couple of the Samoan games were very enjoyable.

To be honest, I'm struggling to pick a stand out game for 2011.

No this wasnt the best world cup. Hard to pick the best, 1995 and 2003 had the best world cup finals, as you cant beat a drop win in extra time. 2007 was probably the best overall as the French made a really good show of it and every match was pretty much a sell out, and no one saw Argentina coming.

Best match, I really dont know. I thought the quarter finals were all pretty good apart from the Eng vs France game.

For us easily the oz match.
Best 22 man 80 minute performance by the abs for years. Prior to the final was our final and felt like it. Because of it we nearly succumbed to France in our normal manner but for the lessons learned since 07 to guts it out.
In 07 or earlier we would have lost that final. Absolutely convinced of that.

Another vote for South Africa 1995, you could tell something very special was happening from the moment the tournament started and it continued to build up until the final. Wouldn't say 2011 was a great tournament - three major games were totally decided by the ref (SA & Aus, NZ & Fra and Wales & Fra) and as a result the tournament was tainted for me.

Best match this time - probably Ireland Aus. Didn't expect Ireland to win but the intensity of the game was amazing for the neutural like me (although I admit to having a slight green tinge that day).

For me the best game was the semi between New Zealand and Australia,it was last man standing,more blood than all the other 47 games put together.
Which was the best World cup ever ( I think thats what the question is)well that somewhat subjective but no on can say that NZ didnt give it everything ,12 Stadia used across the country,all perfectly prepared to play top class international rugby, where ever you went in the country you definitely knew what the world cup was and that it was on. School holidays changed so the kids could go to the mid week games,etc etc.
For the best World cup held outside of New Zealand,I would say South Africa.
I wonder whether all of japan get in behind the event ,like the Kiwis did,when its their turn?

Maybe I am being a bit biased as I was 11 in 2003 and can remember very little of 1999 let alone '95 but as I am half south african and after talking to my SA family and relatives, it was a tournament that united a nation so perhaps in terms of not just sport SA was the greatest tournament!

Luvsports
I thought you were saying that this tournament wasnt one of the best,because,for you,there wasnt any stand out games and the quality of the rugby....

For poetry the 95 final epitomises the best about RWC for me, as for the best game of this RWC, Wales beating ire is up there and i enjoyed the final, but seeing the Tongan props relish another scrum as they beat France was my favourite

Not a vintage WC in my book. What I did enjoy was that the lower ranked teams were notably improved and offered more of a challenge and a few quite enjoyable games. The big problem was that the teams like Aus, SA, France & England weren't playing to their best and certainly not against each other, so what should have been the big confrontations, lacked substance.

auckland - my point is that as i have only seen 3 tournaments in full i am likely to say they are the best i have seen despite not experiencing the others and going by what past commentators and pundits have said about that specific world cup.
And yes i dont think it was the best tournament for those reasons.

Think that Eng & SA winning their 1/4 finals would have set the tournament up as possibly the best ever as we'd have had Eng v Wales & NZ v SA, 2 of the biggest rivalries in rugby in the semis.
95 & 03 were, for me, the best tournaments.

In what way was this Tournament inferior,Because your team did`nt win?
Matches effected by Refs decisions? like the1995 France semi v SA when they were denied a winning try?[maybe!!}
2007 the All Blacks QF or England denied in the final,Refs decisions are always contentious in RWC`s.
England and Australia only had one good game 2003 the Semi,The Final was scrappy and cuold have gone either way.
2007 was remarkable for the minnows performances,and Englands unlikely back to back final appearance.
Was for the main teams arguably the worst RWC to that date,BOKS deserved to win being unbeaten.
This one had some excellent games SA v Wales,Japan v France,Tonga v France,Tonga v NZ,SA v Samoa,Wales v Samoa,Wales v France,Nz v France[both games]Ireland v Australia,SA v Australia, NZ v Australia [BEST NZ match in 10 years]
Yes there were few surprises as 2007 when Argentina were arguably the best team there.BUT plenty of great games especially among the minnows.
THE main concern was the large number of injuries to key players,as to REfs effecting games.
In Wales v SA,Wales v France,NZ V France bothteams had chances they did`nt convert .Had they done so it would have been a Wales v NZ final or Extra time when France would surely have won.
One of the big mysteries was theNew Gilbert Ball and established goal kickers converting there attempts at goal.

No way - I think this was one of the worst WC in my memory. Poor attendances at the pool games and minnow matches (I dont know the figures but the stadiums looked empty).

Yes - the team I was supporting was dire but they were dire in 2007 too. Maybe its a proximity thing - I personally think that the '07 WC had an amazing atmosphere, there were great shock results, Argies doing well, Islanders doing well ect. France beaten by Argentina then going on to beat NZ in the Millen stadium.

There were no real shock results in this WC - Wales getting to the semi was no real surprise.

I dont think that this was a poor RWC at all. Of course the attendance would be lower there than in Europe due to the distance and expense it was to travel there but the New Zealand people put on a great show and can be very proud of it.