Eight places still up for grabs at RWC 2023
DUBLIN - Over the next couple of years, teams from all corners of the globe will attempt to confirm their participation at Rugby World Cup 2023 through World Rugby’s regional qualification process.
Twelve teams, champion South Africa, England, New Zealand, Wales, Japan, France, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Argentina and Fiji, have already qualified for the tournament having finished in the top three of their pools at RWC 2019.
But the remaining eight places will be determined by a series of qualifying tournaments in 2021 and 2022, including a four-team, final qualification tournament to decide the 20th and final qualifier.
Under the current system, Europe and the Americas are guaranteed two places apiece at Rugby World Cup 2023, with one place each for Oceania, Africa and Asia/ Pacific.
Before the qualifiers though, comes the draw itself. Each participating nation will discover their future opposition when the balls are drawn on 14 December at the iconic Palais Brongniart in Paris.
With so many France-based players in their squad, the next Rugby World Cup will almost feel like a home tournament for Georgia – if they get there.
The Lelos have competed in every Rugby World Cup since their first involvement in 2003 and qualified directly for Japan 2019 through their third-place pool finish at RWC 2015.
However, a disappointing tournament last time around means they will now be vying with the likes of Russia, Romania, Spain and Portugal – all teams with past Rugby World Cup experience
– for the right to go to France as Europe 1 or 2.
Combined results from across both the 2021 and 2022 editions of the Rugby Europe Championship will determine which of the teams fills these slots, while the third-best team will still get another opportunity through the final qualification tournament on a date yet to be decided.
Georgia has won 10 of the last 12 available titles in the Rugby Europe Championship, with Romania’s triumphs in 2010 and 2017 the only blot on their impressive record at that level, and will be desperate to make it to France, where many of their players are based, at the earliest opportunity.
While head coach Levan Maisashvili will not allow his players to underestimate the task ahead, it would be a major shock if the Lelos did not go through as Europe 1. Even putting their pedigree at this level to one side, they will also go into the Rugby Europe Championship all the better for playing four consecutive matches against higherranked opponents in the Autumn Nations Cup.