The hosts headed into the tournament apprehensive but confident they would progress from a group containing Wales, Australia and Fiji and do their country proud.
How wrong they were.
After edging past Fiji in the opening game, England went on to lose to Wales, setting up a do-or-die clash with Australia in a tournament that was already under-fire for a lack of interest from the country.
Australia went on to win, meaning England were out at the group stage, the first time in World Cup history a host hasn't made the knockout stages.
The rivalry between Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had been bubbling under the surface all year before finally boiling over in an awkward exchange at the US Grand Prix.
After claiming the Formula One Championship ahead of Rosberg, who finished second, Hamilton threw the German his third-placed hat.
Rosberg wasn't having any of it and threw a mini-tantrum, awkwardly and meekly throwing the hat back at Hamilton.
Maybe 2016 will be the year Rosberg learns to lose with some grace.
Seattle Seahawks blow Super Bowl
Imagine, your team is down four points in the Super Bowl with 26 seconds remaining after Jermaine Kearse has made a stunning catch to set up a winning touchdown.
You're on the brink of becoming one of the few teams to defend a Super Bowl and a play is drawn up to go to someone other than your stud running back Marshawn Lynch.
But your pass never makes it and is intercepted by New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler. The Patriots go on to win the game. Tom Brady gets his fourth ring.
You are Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
He was heralded as a saviour for the Warriors when he was brought to the club in a record deal but this year it all went south.
Midway through the season, Sam Tomkins opted out of the final 12 months of his three-year contract with the Warriors to return to his former club Wigan due to homesickness after an injury-riddled stint in Auckland
The result was Tomkins' NRL career ending amidst a burning wreckage of a season which seemed so promising until Shaun Johnson broke his ankle and ended with eight straight losses.
All Whites miss out on Olympics after fielding ineligible player
New Zealand Football's hopes of having a team at the Rio Olympics came to an ignominious end at a qualifying tournament in Papua New Guinea.
Deklan Wynne was found to be ineligible after a challenge from Fiji after their semi-final loss to New Zealand in the Olympic qualifying tournament.
The incident resulted in FIFA Statutes becoming a national debate as it was revealed a number of players New Zealand had been fielding under Anthony Hudson's regime were in a grey area when it came to eligibility.
The resulting back and forth between FIFA, New Zealand Football (NZF) and the Oceania Football Confederation lead to NZF conceding defeat and the end of their hopes of competing at the Rio Olympics.
Early celebration costs runner race
Want to know how to lose a running race from a winning position? University of Oregon runner Tanguy Pepiot shows you how in three easy steps!
1. Realise you are in the lead with the finish line is beckoning.
2. Slow your speed because finishing strongly is for suckers.
3. Start to wave to the crowd, encouraging them to lift the volume for when you stride over the finish line.
Well done, you have just been beaten by the University of Washington's Meron Simon who never gave up!
FFA Chairman falls off trophy stage
Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy hasn't ever been the A-League's most popular figure and was roundly booed when he took the stage to award Melbourne Victory their trophy.
But things went from bad to worse when Lowy took a tumble off the stage just as Melbourne captain Mark Milligan was about to lift the trophy.
It was an awkward fall that silenced the crowd but thankfully the chairman, who has recently played a part in denying the Wellington Phoenix a 10-year A-League license, only hurt his shoulder.
Brad Haddin sprays Grant Elliott in World Cup final -
Another blow for sportsmanship coming from, surprise, an Australian cricketer.
Wicket-keeper and sledging supremo Brad Haddin came under scrutiny after defending his choice of words aimed at the Black Caps batsmen in the Cricket World Cup final.
"They deserved it. They were that nice to us in New Zealand [in the game at Eden Park] and we were that uncomfortable," said Haddin.
The scandal was heightened after the Black Caps' display of sportsmanship in their semi-final win over South Africa which included this photo.
Maybe not a fail for Australia who went on to win the World Cup, but a fail for the spirit of cricket.
Floyd Mayweather Jr V Manny Pacquiao
"With boxing becoming forever murkier with its proliferation of governing bodies and associated bureaucracy, this could well be the shot in the arm it requires," read our live updates of the 'Fight of the Century'.
It wasn't to be.
A 12-round lame-duck of a fight that hardly saw either fighter really threaten resulted in a unanimous decision for Floyd Mayweather Jr to remain unbeaten.
Reports of Manny Pacquiao's bung shoulder after the fight added to the viewer discontent, with many punters feeling cheated after paying large sums for the pay-per view bout.
Football team commits ultimate sin
Much like the incident above, this video is a fail in every sense of the word.
When Zambian side K-Stars went 1-0 up with a late goal against Ferroviario of Mozambique, you could guess what was about to happen.
As the players and goalkeeper celebrated with reckless abandon, Ferroviario were quick to get the ball back at halfway and launch a shot from kick-off into the empty net as the goalkeeper scrambled to get back in time.
Another lesson for us all.
3 News