WORLD RUGBY HAS confirmed the qualification process for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, outlining how the remaining eight places will be earned.
Ireland are one of the 12 nations who have already qualified thanks to finishing in the top three of their respective pools at the 2019 World Cup.
The other teams already qualified for 2023 are South Africa, England, New Zealand, Wales, Japan, Australia, Scotland, Italy, Argentina, Fiji, and the hosts, France.
The eight remaining spots will be decided by regional and cross-regional qualifiers.
The qualifying process will finish with a four-team round-robin ‘Final Qualification Tournament’ in November 2022 to determine the final qualifier.
Here’s where the eight remaining teams will come from:
- Americas: the Americas will qualify two teams by September 2022 [those teams will be Americas 1 & Americas 2]. The third best team in the region will enter the Final Qualification Tournament.
USA, Canada, and Uruguay will be among those battling it out for these spots.
- Europe: the existing Rugby Europe Championship will have two qualifying places, with the two best teams in March 2022 qualifying directly [Europe 1 & Europe 2] and the third-placed team entering the Final Qualification Tournament.
Georgia, Romania, Russia, Spain, and Portugal will be in contention in this region.
- Africa: the Rugby Africa Cup 2022 winner will qualify directly [Africa 1] and the runner-up team will go to Final Qualification.
Namibia will be looking to hold off the likes of Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, and Uganda here.
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Oceania: a home and away play-off between Tonga and Samoa in 2021 will determine the direct qualifier for the Oceania region [Oceania 1].
The loser will then play the Oceania Rugby Cup 2021 winner in the highest ranked team’s country with the eventual winner contesting Asia/Pacific (see below) as Oceania 2.
Tonga and Samoa will both be expected to qualify for the World Cup. Other Oceania nations are minnows such as Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Tahiti.
- Asia/Pacific: the winner of the Asian Rugby Men’s Championship 2021 will play Oceania 2 home and away. The winner on aggregate will determine the qualifier [Asia/Pacific 1] and the loser will go to Final Qualification.
Hong Kong will be fancied to emerge as Asian champions and face one of Tonga or Samoa. Other Asian nations such as South Korea and Malaysia will look to cause an upset.
- Final Qualification Tournament: the tournament in November 2022 will feature four teams playing in a round-robin format with the winner qualifying for RWC 2023 [Final Qualification winner].
World Rugby says final details of the regional competition formats and dates will be announced in due course, subject to an anticipated easing of the Covid-19 situation.
“With the global pandemic having halted most rugby activity, confirmation of the global qualification process for Rugby World Cup 2023 provides a beacon of excitement for all, including players and fans,” said World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.
“The process that has been developed via full consultation with our regional associations and member unions will provide a genuine opportunity for full member unions to qualify for our showcase men’s 15s event.
“Maximising existing regional competitions, the process is good for regions and unions in managing costs for organisers and participants alike, which is important as we all recover from the global pandemic.
“On behalf of World Rugby, I’d like to wish all teams involved the best of luck on their journey to France 2023.”
Originally published at 11.40
Pity we are not hosting this competition. Would have been incredible for the country and rugby.
@Ro Molloy: pity we don’t have decent infrastructure in many parts of the country. Still don’t. Northwest – no motorway to speak off. We didn’t deserve it for that reason.
@Peter McGlynn: Would we need a motorway to the northwest if we were hosting this?
@Peter McGlynn: infrastructure is arguably better than but certainly no worse than New Zealand’s and the country is far more accessible and traversable than NZ as well. They hosted a hugely successful World Cup in 2011.
@Jim Demps: was at it myself and it was absolutely fantastic. Local clubs opened up to campers looking for a place to stay. Super accommodating and organization of events were flawless. Definitely a prime example of how to host an event of that scale with the limited resources the country has
@Peter McGlynn: Zero to do with infrastructure ,100% got to do with money. The majority of the French population won’t even be aware the RWC is on, only looking forward to their main event 9 months later
@Jim Lynch: same experience as myself. The lack of ‘infrastructure’ added to the experience in my eyes and was a far better show than 2007 in France
@Jim Demps: oh for sure we had a campervan for the whole tournament and the freedom to explore all the hidden gems was amazing. Stayed at petone Rfc for the Wales game and what amazing hosts they were. Opened up the whole club house for people camping there , showers , canteen, bar etc. Got to swap my club jersey for one of theirs and it proudly is framed up on the wall at home
@Jim Lynch: yeah man, same story. Made some good friends down there in a few clubs that hosted us. Did a similar trip in France four years earlier, was good craic but you wouldn’t know the tournament was on while travelling round the country to catch other games wasn’t really an option. Ireland would have hosted an unreal tournament, shame our Celtic neighbours didn’t back us up.
@Jim Demps: 100% culturally it would have been unreal for us to host it but like anything else man politics always get in the way.
@Peter McGlynn: 100%… Be great if the we took the lessons and kicked on, to insure future opportunities don’t pass us by. Do you think we will? Ha, we’ll still be stuffing money in the mattress with not a train to catch in another 100 years!!
@Jim Lynch: I do reckon that the border issue with Brexit probably lost us a few votes. The uncertainty whether we would have a free flowing border between the North and South or else a hard one could have cost us the chance to host.
@Seán Leisk: yea for sure that and a whole host of other issues between the neighboring unions cost us.
This should have been in Ireland. As much as we love to hate the English, they backed us. Welsh and Scots our so called “Celtic Cousins” shafted us. One to remember.
Italy very lucky to be automatically qualified when they haven’t added anything to the game of rugby in the last 20 years. (Apart from Parisse of course)
@ooop: Yawn…
@ooop: they finished in the top 3 of their group, fair is fair
Glad nobody had a game cancelled that could of affected getting 3rd spot
@ooop: who was born in Argentina
@Ciaran Daly: So?
@ooop: should have been only the top 2 in each group. The other teams would be exposed to playing with top tier countries as well. It would also cause top tier teams to play their best teams to ensure they are in the top 2.
@john flynn: four years previous.
You could never imagine that happening in a serious World Cup in any other sport
Duck France, and Duck Italy, Wales and Our Scottish friends for not voting for us. The only time in history we were able to count on our English friends. #neverforget.
@Mairtin Antaine O Conaill: Not the first time English rugby would play ball with us when nobody else would.
@Sean Fahey: lads, don’t be so naive ..English voted when they knew the others were not going to ..them boys didn’t get an empire for nothing
@Mike Kelly: to what benefit?
@Mike Kelly: BS
@Mike Kelly: any knowledge of landsdowne road 1973?
That’s so sweet !!
@Sk19: what .. do ya think there is a link between the 2 events !!
@Con Cussed: that’s so sweet
Sound