2019 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification

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2019 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
Tournament details
Dates1 October 2016 – 16 June 2018
No. of nations31
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Qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup for European Rugby began in September 2016, where 5 teams are competing for one direct qualification spot into the final tournament, and a further 26 teams competing, alongside the initial 5 teams, for a place in the Europe/Oceania play-off and or repechage.

The qualification process came to a chaotic conclusion when 3 of the 5 teams in the 2017 and 2018 editions of the Rugby Europe Championship were effectively disqualified for fielding ineligible players. As a result, Russia qualified for the World Cup and Germany advanced to a playoff against Portugal for a place in the repechage process.

Format[edit]

The Rugby Europe Championship, controlled by Rugby Europe, is the regional qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup 2019, with the Championship, Trophy and Conference 1 and 2 being involved in the process.

The 2016–17 Rugby Europe International Championships form the majority of qualification matches for the European region. The respective winners of Round 1A and 1B, Rugby Europe Conference 2 North and South, will progress to the Round 1 Final. The overall winner of Round 1, will advance to the Round 3, where they will play against the winner of Round 2, Conference 1. The winner of Round 3 will play against the winner of the 2016–17 Rugby Europe Trophy tournament in the Round 4 Final, where the winner of that final will parachute down to Round 6 - the European Final play-off.

The winner of Round 5, which is an aggregate table of the 2017 and 2018 Rugby Europe Championship's, will qualify for the World Cup as Europe 1, the runner-up will advance to Round 6.

Round 6 will see the winner of Round 4 and the runner-up of Round 5 face against each other in a one-off play-off match, the higher ranked team hosting at the time of teams decided, to earn the right to progress to a home and away Cross-Regional play-off series against the third placed team from Oceania, Oceania 3.

Entrants[edit]

Thirty one teams competed during for the 2019 Rugby World Cup – European qualification; teams world rankings are prior to the first European qualification match on 3 September 2016.

Nation Rank Began play Qualifying status
 Andorra 62 22 October 2016 Eliminated by Malta on 11 February 2017
 Austria 87 8 October 2016 Eliminated by Serbia on 29 April 2017
 Belgium 24 18 February 2017 Eliminated via points deduction on 15 May 2018
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 74 8 October 2016 Eliminated by Hungary on 20 May 2017
 Croatia 54 29 October 2016 Eliminated by Malta on 29 April 2017
 Cyprus NR 29 October 2016 Eliminated by Andorra on 11 February 2017
 Czech Republic 33 3 September 2016 Eliminated by Portugal on 18 November 2017
 Denmark 88 8 October 2016 Eliminated by Hungary's victory on 6 May 2017
 England 2 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2015 World Cup
 Estonia NR 1 October 2016 Eliminated by Hungary's victory on 22 April 2017
 Finland 97 8 October 2016 Eliminated by Denmark on 22 April 2017
 France 8 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2015 World Cup
 Georgia 11 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2015 World Cup
 Germany 26 11 February 2017 Advances to Europe/Oceania play-off on 16 June 2018
 Hungary 82 1 October 2016 Eliminated by Czech Republic in 27 April 2017
 Ireland 6 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2015 World Cup
 Israel 63 5 November 2016 Eliminated by Malta on 22 April 2017
 Italy 13 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2015 World Cup
 Latvia 51 22 October 2016 Eliminated by Czech Republic on 15 April 2017
 Lithuania 46 5 November 2016 Eliminated by Czech Republic's victory on 6 May 2017
 Luxembourg 59 22 October 2016 Eliminated by Czech Republic's victory on 15 April 2017
 Malta 49 22 October 2016 Eliminated by Czech Republic on 20 May 2017
 Moldova 32 12 November 2016 Eliminated by Portugal on 11 March 2017
 Netherlands 34 5 November 2016 Eliminated by Portugal's victory on 1 April 2017
 Norway 90 8 October 2016 Eliminated by Hungary on 22 April 2017
 Poland 37 24 September 2016 Eliminated by Portugal on 18 March 2017
 Portugal 30 19 November 2016 Eliminated by Germany on 16 June 2018
 Romania 16 11 February 2017 Eliminated via points deduction on 15 May 2018
 Russia 21 12 February 2017 Qualified as Europe 1 via mass points deduction on 15 May 2018
 Scotland 9 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2015 World Cup
 Serbia 79 29 October 2016 Eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina on 22 April 2017
 Slovenia 67 29 October 2016 Eliminated by Austria on 22 April 2017
 Spain 23 12 February 2017 Eliminated via points deduction on 15 May 2018
 Sweden 58 3 September 2016 Eliminated by Latvia on 29 April 2017
  Switzerland 31 19 November 2016 Eliminated by Netherlands on 18 March 2017
 Turkey NR 5 November 2016 Withdrew from competition on 5 November 2016
 Ukraine 27 24 September 2016 Eliminated by Portugal's victory on 4 March 2017
 Wales 5 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2015 World Cup

Round 1: Rugby Europe Conference 2[edit]

Round 1A: North[edit]

Advances to Round 1 Final
Place Nation Games Points Bonus
points 		Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff
1  Hungary 4 4 0 0 157 30 +127 3 19
2  Denmark 4 3 0 1 161 42 +119 2 14
3  Norway 4 2 0 2 98 109 –11 2 10
4  Finland 4 1 0 3 92 144 –52 2 6
5  Estonia 4 0 0 4 39 222 –183 0 0
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 2 points
Offensive Bonus Point is given for 3 more tries than the other team - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

Round 1B: South[edit]

Advances to Round 1 Final
Place Nation Games Points Bonus
points 		Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff
1  Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 2 0 1 65 54 +11 1 9
2  Austria 3 2 0 1 54 51 +3 0 8
3  Slovenia 3 1 0 2 89 48 +41 2 6
4  Serbia 3 1 0 2 52 107 –55 0 4
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 2 points
Offensive Bonus Point is given for 3 more tries than the other team - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

Round 1 Final[edit]

Hungary, as winners, qualify for round 3.

20 May 2017
16:00 EEST (UTC+03)
Hungary 19–17 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Report[10]
Franka Pálya, Esztergom
Attendance: 800
Referee: Andrea Spadoni (Italy)

Round 2: Rugby Europe Conference 1[edit]

Round 2A: North[edit]

Advances to Conference Final
Place Nation Games Points Bonus
points 		Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff
1  Czech Republic 4 4 0 0 158 26 +132 3 19
2  Lithuania 4 3 0 1 93 47 +46 2 14
3  Latvia 4 2 0 2 56 98 –42 2 10
4  Sweden 4 1 0 3 56 124 –68 1 5
5  Luxembourg 4 0 0 4 39 107 –68 1 1
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 2 points
Offensive Bonus Point is given for 3 more tries than the other team - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

Round 2B: South[edit]

Advances to Conference Final
Place Nation Games Points Bonus
points 		Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff
1  Malta 4 3 1 0 147 49 +98 3 17
2  Israel 4 3 0 1 135 100 +35 2 14
3  Croatia 4 2 1 1 106 79 +27 3 13
4  Andorra 4 1 0 3 62 181 –119 0 4
5  Cyprus 4 0 0 4 72 113 –41 2 2
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 2 points
Offensive Bonus Point is given for 3 more tries than the other team - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

Round 2 Final[edit]

The Czech Republic, as winners, qualify for round 3.

20 May 2017
14:00 CEST (UTC+02)
Czech Republic 48–14 Malta
Report[32]
Stadion Markéta, Prague
Attendance: 500
Referee: Thomas Charabas (France)

Round 3[edit]

The Czech Republic, as winners, qualify for the final of round 4.

27 May 2017
14:00 CEST (UTC+02)
Czech Republic 47–19 Hungary
Report[33]
Stadion ragby Císařka, Prague
Attendance: 500
Referee: François Bouzac (France)

Round 4[edit]

Round 4A: Rugby Europe Trophy[edit]

Advances to Round 4 Final
Place Nation Games Points Bonus
points 		Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff
1  Portugal 5 5 0 0 179 37 +142 4 24
2  Netherlands 5 3 0 2 159 94 +65 3 15
3   Switzerland 5 3 0 2 140 122 +18 1 13
4  Poland 5 3 0 2 73 73 0 0 12
5  Moldova 5 1 0 4 100 162 -62 3 7
6  Ukraine 5 0 0 5 52 215 –163 0 0
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 2 points
Offensive Bonus Point is given for 3 more tries than the other team - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

Round 4 Final[edit]

This fixture, unlike previous knock out fixtures, doubles as part of the Rugby Europe Trophy competition. Portugal, as winners, advance to round 6.

18 November 2017
15:00 WET (UTC+0)
Portugal 45–12 Czech Republic
Report[49]
Estádio Nacional, Oeiras
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

Round 5[edit]

Round 5A: Rugby Europe Championship[edit]

Table[edit]

For the Rugby Europe Championship teams, results are considered on a 2-year aggregate from the 2017 and 2018 seasons (excluding matches involving Georgia, who had already qualified). The winner advanced to the Rugby World Cup and the runner-up advanced to the Round 6 play-off.[50]

Qualified as Europe 1
Advances to Round 6
Place Nation Games Points Bonus
points 		Deductions Total
points
played won drawn lost for against diff
1  Russia 8 4 0 4 226 144 +82 4 20
2  Germany 8 2 0 6 149 446 –287 2 10
3  Romania 8 6 0 2 296 126 +170 6 -30 0
4  Spain 8 6 0 2 217 85 +132 2 -40 –14
5  Belgium 8 2 0 6 170 257 –87 3 -30 –19
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 2 points
Offensive Bonus Point is given for 3 more tries than the other team - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

World Rugby received complaints against all five teams of fielding ineligible players, in breach of Regulation 8, during the qualification process. The neutral panel cleared Germany and Russia of the alleged ineligible players, but found Belgium, Romania and Spain guilty of breaching Regulation 8. The panel determined that each nation would be deducted 5 points for each game they had fielded an ineligible player, regardless of if more than one ineligible player had been fielded. The investigation found that Belgium and Romania had fielded ineligible players 6 times (a deduction of 30 points) and Spain 8 times (a deduction of 40 points) during the qualification process. This meant, with the deducted points for the respective nations, Russia would qualify ahead of Romania and Germany would advance to the play-offs ahead of Spain.[51][52] On 29 May 2018, it was confirmed that both Romania and Spain had appealed the decision.[53] On 6 June, the appeal failed and the decision was upheld meaning Russia was confirmed as Europe 1 and qualified for the World Cup, whilst Germany advanced to round 6.[54][55][56][57]

Matches[edit]

Round 6: Final play-off[edit]

Germany, as winners, advance to the Europe/Oceania play-off.

16 June 2018
15:00 CEST (UTC+02)
Germany 16–13 Portugal
Try: Els 51' c
Con: Parkinson (1/1) 53'
Pen: Parkinson (3/3) 6', 64', 72'		ReportTry: Villax 48' c
Con: Rodrigues (1/1) 49'
Pen: Rodrigues (2/2) 24', 29'
Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark, Heidelberg
Attendance: 2,700
Referee: Tom Foley (England)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Game Sheet Denmark vs Finland" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
  2. ^ "Game Sheet Hungary vs Norway" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
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  4. ^ "Game Sheet Finland vs Hungary" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
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  70. ^ REIC RUSvESP Game Sheet
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  74. ^ Game Sheet Belgium vs Germany
  75. ^ Game Sheet Russia vs Romania
  76. ^ Game Sheet Romania vs Belgium
  77. ^ Game Sheet Spain vs Germany
  78. ^ Game Sheet Germany vs Russia
  79. ^ Game Sheet Belgium vs Spain

External links[edit]

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