2011 Rugby World Cup qualifying

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2011 Rugby World Cup qualifying began at the 2007 tournament in France where the first 3 teams in each pool earned a place in the finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand [1].

After much speculation it was confirmed, on Friday 30th November 2007, that 20 teams would contest the next edition of the tournament [2]. The qualification system for the remaining eight places will be region-based with Europe and the Americas allocated two qualifying places, Africa, Asia and Oceania one place each, with the last place determined by a play-off [3].

Contents

[edit] Qualified teams

  • Europe
  • Oceania

[edit] Regional qualifiers

8 nations will be able to qualify for the 2011 event.

[edit] Africa

The African qualifiers will be the 2009 Africa Cup. Participating will be the 14 full IRB members (besides South Africa) plus playing for the Africa Cup but ineligible for qualification there will be South Africa Amateurs and the highest ranked Associate member country. Teams will be split into four groups of three (two each in the north and south of the continent) with the top two of each qualifying for an 8 team tournament in an as yet undetermined location. The winner (or highest ranked eligible team) will qualify for the world cup.

[edit] Europe

2 teams will qualify direct to the world cup, with the third place team entering the playoff. The format of qualification will include the existing divisions of the European Nations Cup and a series of playoffs. The top 2 teams of the 2008-2010 season Division 1 will qualify, with the third place playing the winner of a series of playoffs between the winner of the 2008-2010 season Division 2A and the teams topping the other divisions after the 2008-2009 season. The first three rounds will be held in 2009 and the last 2 in 2010. The winner of the playoff series will enter the playoff against the 3rd placed Americas side. The first 4 rounds will be one leg in the highest placed team's home country, but the 5th round will be over 2 legs.

  • Round 1

Winner 3B Vs Winner 3C

  • Round 2

Winner 3A Vs Winner Round 1

  • Round 3

Winner 2B Vs Winner Round 2

  • Round 4

Winner 2A Vs Winner Round 3

  • Round 5

3rd Division 1 Vs Winner Round 4

[edit] Asia

The winner of the Asian Five Nations in 2010 will qualify, though the 2008 and 2009 seasons as well as the lower divisions will be part of the qualification process so that it is open to all teams.

[edit] Americas

There are two automatic qualifiers with the third place team to enter the playoff.

[edit] Oceania

The winner of the qualifying tournament will qualify. The first round of the qualifying tournament will be the 2009 Oceania Nations Cup, and it is expected that the winner will playoff against Samoa. The following teams are eligible for qualification, though other teams may be invited to the Oceania Nations Cup:

[edit] 2011 Rugby World Cup - Playoff

The third placed team from Europe will playoff against the third place team in the Americas for the 20th world cup spot

[edit] Sources

http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/pressrelease/newsid=2022353.html

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2011 Rugby World Cup Qualifying
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