Next Rugby World Cup will take place in France in September-October 2007. The eight quarterfinalists of RWC 2003 (England, Australia, New Zealand, France, Wales, Scotland, South Africa and Ireland) are automatically qualified but there are still 12 spots. Here are the RWC 2007 pools : Pool A : England, South Africa, Oceania 1, Americas 3, Repechage 2 Pool B : Australia, Wales, Oceania 2, Americas 2, Asia 1 Pool C : New Zealand, Scotland, Europe 1, Europe 2, Repechage 1 Pool D : France, Ireland, Americas 1, Europe 3, Africa 1 In the following posts, you will see all the results of the qualifiers played so far.
Africa : Round 1 a : Pool North : Senegal - Nigeria : 46 - 6 Cameroon - Senegal : 0 - 6 Nigeria - Cameroon : 8 - 18 1.SENEGAL 6 (+46) 2.Cameroon 4 (+4) 3.Nigeria 2 (-50) Pool South : Swaziland - Zambia : 24 - 23 Zambia - Botswana : 28 - 24 Botswana - Swaziland : 19 - 12 1.ZAMBIA 4 (+3) (51-48) 2.Botswana 4 (+3) (43-40) 3.Swaziland 4 (-6) Play-off : SENEGAL - Zambia : 22 - 14 / 13 - 6 1er tour b : Pool A : Zimbabwe - Senegal : 21 - 15 Senegal - Ivory Cost : 6 - 20 Ivory Cost - Zimbabwe : 33 - 3 1.IVORY COST 6 (+44) 2.ZIMBABWE 4 (-24) 3.Senegal 2 (-20) Pool B : Kenya - Madagascar : 24 - 24 Uganda - Kenya : 5 - 8 Madagascar - Uganda : 14 - 18 1.KENYA 5 (+3) 2.UGANDA 4 (+1) 3.Madagascar 3 (-4) Play-off : Zimbabwe - UGANDA : 22 - 16 / 9 - 20
Next in Africa : Round 2 : Pool 1 (Namibia, Tunisia and Kenya) and Pool 2 (Morocco, Ivory Cost and Uganda). The winners qualify to Round 3 Round 3 is a home and away game. Winner qualifies direct to RWC 2007 as Africa 1, runner up advances to the Repechage Round as Africa 2.
AMERICAS Round 1 a : Preliminary qualifier : SAINT-LUCIA - Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines : 36 - 25 Pool North : Jamaica - Bermuda : 10 - 10 Bahamas - Cayman Islands : 23 - 12 Bermuda - Bahamas : 15 - 24 Jamaica - Cayman Islands : 8 - 18 Cayman Islands - Bermuda : 12 - 6 Bahamas - Jamaica : 3 - 5 1.BAHAMAS 7 (+18) 2.Cayman Islands 7 (+5) 3.Jamaica 6 (-8) 4.Bermuda 4 (-15) Pool South : Guyana - Barbados : 17 - 27 Trinidad - Saint-Lucia : 82 - 0 Guyana - Saint-Lucia : 97 - 0 Barbados - Trinidad : 25 - 13 Guyana - Trinidad : 29 - 21 Barbados - Saint-Lucia : 81 - 0 1.BARBADOS 9 (+103) 2.Guyana 7 (+95) 3.Trinidad 5 (+62) 4.Saint-Lucia 3 (-260) Play-off : BARBADOS - Bahamas : 52 - 3 Round 1 b : Brazil - Peru : 73 - 3 Brazil - Colombia : 74 - 0 Peru - Colombia : 15 - 10 Peru - Venezuela : 22 - 32 Colombia - Venezuela : 27 - 31 Venezuela - Brazil : 5 - 11 1.BRAZIL 9 (+150) 2.Venezuela 7 (+8) 3.Peru 5 (-75) 4.Colombia 3 (-83) Round 2 : Paraguay - Brazil : 45 - 8 Chile- Paraguay : 38 - 22 Brazil - Chile : 13 - 55 1.CHILE 6 (+58) 2.Paraguay 4 (+21) 3.Brazil 2 (-79)
Next in Americas : Round 3 : 2 pools, one in the South (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile) and one in the North (USA, Canada and Barbados). Winners progress directly to RWC 2007 as Americas 1 and Americas 2. Round 4 : play-off between the two runners-up. Winner progresses to RWC 2007 as Americas 3 and runner-up progresses to Repechage Round as Americas 4.
IRB qualifying process is as complicated as the game's rules . I wonder why they even care. France will crush them all, anyway.
IRB is a very conservative organization. Everyone but them agrees to see Argentina as a world class team. And, just for fun, a picture of the Andorra-Spain (0-31) qualifying game : Rugby always should be played like this. In the mud .
It seems that these spots are earned by actually winning in the previous tournament. I can't see a bias in this. It is interesting that when the tournament comes around, usually 32 of the 33 top teams in the IRB rankings make the tourny. It's not like soccer where a #55 team from Africa makes the big show. I don't think this is because the rugby ratings are better (or worse, perhaps just tracking qualification performances to produce a self-fulfilling ranking). I think that there is just so much division in quality between the top 10 teams and the next 10 teams and the next 10 teams and the rest of the world. With such little scoring in soccer, it is comparably easier to steal a win or a tie. Rugby truely rewards dominance. Even if the tries aren't coming, consolation points in the form of kicks are the reward for quality teams.
The automatic spots are given to the quarter finalists. Remember that Argentina was automatically qualified to the RWC 2003 because of its quarter final against France in 1999.
I didn't know that - hmm why not? Ah, makes sense now. Still I'd have thought having them (and other notable teams) in the qualifying rounds is a little silly.
That's like saying its silly to have the U.S. play in the early rounds of Davis Cup tennis, just because they didn't play well in the last tourney. Of course the U.S. deserves to play Outer Mongolia in the first round. They should have manned-up and won the thing.
I'm not making excuses for any team - it's just silly to have that calibre of team qualify - when in all reality they're going to do so anyway. And they would do - as another poster pointed out, a whole rugby match very rarely allows the totally mismatched team have any chance whatsoever. Just seems a waste of time. Italy are clearly ahead of anyone else in Europe that hasn't already been given a spot. Argentina likewise in their area.
ASIA Round 1 : Division 2 : China - Taiwan : 22 - 19 Taiwan - Arabian Gulf : 26 - 30 Arabian Gulf - China : 24 - 22 1.ARABIAN GULF 6 (+6) 2.CHINA 4 (+1) 3.Taïwan 2 (-7) Division 3a : Sri Lanka - Thailand : 48 - 38 Singapore - Thailand : 47 - 27 Sri Lanka - Singapore : 34 - 17 1.SRI LANKA 6 (+27) 2.Singapore 4 (+3) 3.Thailand 1 (-30) Division 3b : India - Kazakhstan : 22 - 36 Kazakhstan - Malaysia : 48 - 3 India - Malaysia : 48 - 12 Guam - India : 8 - 8 Kazakhstan - Guam : 51 - 6 Malaysia - Guam : 45 - 15 1.KAZAKHSTAN 9 (+104) 2.India 6 (+22) 3.Malaysia 5 (-51) 4.Guam 4 (-75) Play-off : Kazakhstan - SRI LANKA : 25 - 19 / 12 - 24
Next in Asia : Round 2 in May 2006 : a Division 1 (Japan, Korea and Arabian Gulf) and a Division 2 (Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka). Winner and runner-up of Division 1 and winner of Division 2 progress to Round 3. Round 3 in November 2006 : winner qualifies directly to RWC 2007 as Asia 1and runner-up advances to the Repechage Round as Asia 2.
I heard somewhere the Canada vs USA qualifyer is going to be here in St. John's in August. Can anyone confirm?
Yes, the site of the Canadian federation confirms it. It will take place on August 12th. http://rugbycanada.ca/canadausa2006/
EUROPE Round 1 ANDORRA - Norway : 76 - 3 / 23 - 9 Finland - BULGARIA : 3 - 42 / 3 - 50 Bosnia - AUSTRIA : 10 - 29 / 7 - 12 Israel - LITHUANIA : 0 - 53 / 7 - 60 Round 2 Pool A Croatia - Slovenia : 27 - 6 Hungary - Andorra : 16 - 29 Slovenia - Hungary : 41 - 0 Croatia - Andorra : 18 - 7 Spain - Hungary : 63 - 9 Andorra - Spain : 14 - 36 Slovenia - Spain : 6 - 76 Spain - Croatia : 26 - 26 Hungary - Croatia : 15 - 44 Andorra - Slovenia : 38 - 5 1.SPAIN 11 (+146) 2.CROATIA 11 (+61) 3.ANDORRA 8 (+13) 4.Slovenia 6 (-83) 5.Hungary 4 (-137) Pool B Denmark - Moldova : 11 - 20 Luxembourg - Denmark : 5 - 6 Moldova - Germany : 18 - 27 Germany - Luxembourg : 96 - 0 Germany - Denmark : 56 - 0 Denmark - Austria : 16 - 3 Moldova - Luxembourg : 55 - 6 Austria - Germany : 9 - 69 Austria - Moldova : 19 - 17 Luxembourg - Austria : 9 - 11 1.GERMANY 12 (+223) 2.MOLDOVA 8 (+47) 3.DENMARK 8 (-51) 4.Austria 8 (-69) 5.Luxembourg 4 (-148) Pool C Latvia - Sweden : 18 - 20 Sweden - Lithuania 32 - 20 Belgium - Latvia : 23 - 16 Lithuania - Belgium : 13 - 21 Belgium - Netherlands : 15 - 10 Netherlands - Sweden : 24 - 17 Latvia - Lithuania : 19 - 12 Sweden - Belgium : 7 - 36 Netherlands - Latvia : 48 - 10 Lithuania - Netherlands : 11 - 51 1.BELGIUM 12 (+49) 2.NETHERLANDS 10 (+80) 3.SWEDEN 8 (-22) 4.Latvia 6 (-40) 5.Lithuania 4 (-67) Pool D Poland - Switzerland : 20 - 15 Switzerland - Malta : 8 - 17 Malta - Poland : 13 - 38 Serbia - Bulgaria : 33 - 10 Switzerland - Bulgaria : 43 - 3 Serbia - Switzerland : 11 - 11 Malta - Serbia : 13 - 24 Bulgaria - Malta : 15 - 23 Bulgaria - Poland : 10 - 49 Poland - Serbia : 18 - 11 1.POLAND 12 (+76) 2.SERBIA 9 (+27) 3.MALTA 8 (-22) 4.Switzerland 7 (+39) 5.Bulgaria 4 (-110) Play-off Denmark - MALTA : 12 - 3 / 18 - 28 ANDORRA - Sweden : 30 - 20 / 10 - 14 Round 3 Pool A Poland - Andorra : 18 - 14 Moldova - Netherlands : 30 - 27 Spain - Poland : 68 - 12 Moldova - Spain : 7 - 40 Netherlands - Andorra : 51 – 0 Andorra – Spain : 0 - 31 Poland - Moldova : Netherlands - Poland : Spain - Netherlands : Andorra - Moldova : 1.Spain 9 (+120) 3 games 2.Netherlands 4 (+48) 2 3.Moldova 4 (-30) 2 4.Poland 4 (-52) 2 5.Andorra 3 (-86) 3 Pool B Croatia - Serbia : 26 - 9 Belgium - Croatia : 26 - 20 Malta - Germany : 0 - 43 Serbia - Malta : 3 - 16 Germany - Serbia : 108 - 0 Serbia - Belgium : Malta - Croatia : Belgium - Malta : Croatia - Germany : Germany - Belgium : 1.Germany 6 (+151) 2 2.Croatia 4 (+11) 2 3.Malta 4 (-30) 2 4.Belgium 3 (+6) 1 5.Serbia 3 (-138) 3
Next in Europe Round 3 will end with a play-off between winners of Pools A and B. Round 4 : Two games home and away between 4th and 6th of ENC (match 1)and between 5th of ENC and winner of Round 3 (match 2). Round 5 : 2 pools, pool A (Italy, 3rd ENC and winner match 1) and pool B (1st and 2nd ENC and winner match 2). Winners progress to RWC 2007 as Europe 1 and Europe 2. Round 6 : play-off between 2nd Pool A and 2nd Pool B. Winner qualifies directly to RWC 2007 as Europe 3 and runner-up goes to Repechage Round as Europe 4. P.S : ENC means European Nations Cup, it's a sort of 6 Nations "B" with Romania, Georgia, Portugal, Czech Republic, Russia and Ukraine.
OCEANIA Round 1 Pool West Vanuatu - Solomon Islands : 12 - 20 Solomon Islands - Papua New Guinea : 7 - 45 Papua New Guinea - Vanuatu : 97 - 3 1.PAPUA NEW GUINEA 6 (+132) 2.Solomon Islands 4 (-30) 3.Vanuatu 2 (-102) Pool East Niue Island - Tahiti : 55 - 8 Tahiti - Cook Islands : 22 - 47 Cook Islands - Niue Island : 24 - 5 1.COOK ISLANDS 6 (+44) 1.Niue Island 4 (+28) 3.Tahiti 2 (-72) Round 2 COOK ISLANDS - Papua New Guinea : 37 - 12 / 11 - 20 Round 3 Fiji - Tonga : 19 - 11 Samoa - Tonga : 50 - 28 Samoa - Fiji : 36 - 10 Tonga - Fiji : 19 - 24 Tonga - Samoa : 19 - 30 Fiji - Samoa : 21 - 15 1.SAMOA 10 (+53) 2.FIJI 10 (-7) 3.TONGA 4 (-46) Samoa progresses directly to RWC 2007 as Oceania 1, Fidji progresses directly to RWC 2007 as Oceania 2 and Tonga progresses to Round 4.
Next in Oceania Round 4 : Home and away play-off between Cook Islands and Tonga. Winner progresses to Repechage Round as Oceania 3.
Here's the situation for the moment : Pool A : England, South Africa, Samoa, Americas 3, Repechage 2 Pool B : Australia, Wales, Fiji, Americas 2, Asia 1 Pool C : New Zealand, Scotland, Europe 1, Europe 2, Repechage 1 Pool D : France, Ireland, Americas 1, Europe 3, Africa 1
If you are the U.S. (or Argentina, or Canada), do you want to play (England, South Africa, Samoa), (Australia, Wales, Fiji) or (France, Ireland, Spain or Romania). I think Pool D would give the best chance for advancing, so there is a motivation to win Americas. I think pool A and B are about the same. I think if there is a way to slip in as Repachage 1 would be better and land in what looks to be a weak Pool C.
France and Ireland finished top of 6 nations - so either of them have to be considered harder than Wales ATM for second in the pool. Either way as far as the 8 seeded teams are concerned, Argentina is the one they want to avoid, far better than any other qualifier, although the Islander teams can be tricky, and in truth, Samoa and Fiji would be better than Italy. Canada has progressed strangly, as has Japan and even the US, but they would not really be thought of as a danger by the top tier nations.