2003 Rugby World Cup qualifying explained

Datefrom:1999
Dateto:2003
Nations:89
Prev:1999
Next:2007

The qualification process for the 2003 Rugby World Cup began during the pool stages of the 1999 tournament in Wales, during which the quarterfinalists were awarded automatic qualification for the 2003 event. A further twelve teams qualified through regional tournaments and the repechage process.[1]

Qualifiers

AfricaAmericasAsiaEuropeOceania
Qualified at
1999 RWC
  • (holders)(Hosts)
Qualified via
Regional Slots
  • (Africa 1)
  • (Americas 1)
  • (Americas 2)
  • (Asia 1)
  • (Europe 1)
  • (Europe 2)
  • (Europe 3)
  • (Europe 4)
  • (Oceania 1)
  • (Oceania 2)
Qualified via
Repechage

Qualifiers

79 teams competed qualifying.

RegionTeams entered
qualifying
process		Qualifying
berths		Repechage
berths		Qualified
team(s)		Repechage
team(s)
Africa 12 1 1
Americas 17 2 1
Asia 11 1 1
Europe 32 4 1


Oceania 9 2 1
TOTALS 81 10 5 (1 WC Place)

Repechage qualification

See main article: 2003 Rugby World Cup – repechage qualification.

Africa qualification

In qualification for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, there was one position for an African nation, as well as the possibility of repechage qualification. Namibia qualified, joining automatic qualifiers South Africa at the competition in Australia.

Pool A

Match schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
28 July 2001Zambia - CameroonChingola, Zambia25-24
11 August 2001Uganda – ZambiaKyadondo, Uganda21-12
25 August 2001Cameroon - UgandaDouala, Cameroon17-0

Pool B

Match schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
1 September 2001Botswana - SwazilandGaborone, Botswana13-3
16 September 2001Madagascar – BotswanaAntananarivo, Madagascar31-11
29 September 2001Swaziland - MadagascarMalkerns, Swaziland21-26

Round 2

Match Schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
13 October 2001Madagascar - KenyaAntananarivo, Madagascar27-20
27 October 2001Cameroon – MadagascarYaoundé, Cameroon24-30
24 November 2001Kenya - CameroonNairobi, Kenya40-15

Round 3

Pool A

Match schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
18 May 2002Tunisia - MoroccoTunis, Tunisia27-26
25 May 2002Ivory Coast – TunisiaAbidjan, Ivory Coast8-13
1 June 2002Morocco - Ivory CoastAbidjan, Ivory Coast23-21

Pool B

Match schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
2 June 2002Madagascar - ZimbabweAntananarivo, Madagascar3-52
15 June 2002Namibia – MadagascarWindhoek, Namibia112-0
29 June 2002Zimbabwe - NamibiaBulawayo, Zimbabwe30-42

Round 4

Namibia won the round based on total tries scored (4 to 3). Namibia qualified to Pool A of the 2003 Rugby World Cup as Africa 1. Tunisia advanced to Repechage.

DateMatchVenueResult
30 November 2002 – TunisiaWindhoek, Namibia26-19
6 December 2002 – NamibiaTunis, Tunisia24-17

Americas qualification

In qualification for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, a number of positions were available to Americas nations. Canada, Uruguay and the USA would eventually qualify.

Round 1 (North)

Winner (Trinidad and Tobago) qualified to Round 2.

Round 1 (South)

Valid also as 2001 South American Rugby Championship "B"

Winner (Brazil) qualified to Round 2.

Match Schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
6-October-2001Venezuela - ColombiaVenezuela55-0
13-October-2001Venezuela - PeruVenezuela46-19
27-October-2001Brazil - PeruBrazil51-9
11-November-2001Colombia - BrazilColombia12-47
17-November-2001Brazil - VenezuelaBrazil14-3
17-November-2001Peru-ColombiaPeru31-10

Round 2

Winner (Brazil) qualified to Round 3.

DateMatchVenueResult
22-December-2001 - BrazilArima (Trinidad and Tobago)10-11
26-January-2002 - Trinidad and TobagoBrazil9-0

Round 3

Match schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
13-April-2002Brazil - ChileBrazil6-46
20-April-2002Paraguay - BrazilParaguay14-13
28-April-2002Chile - ParaguayChile57-5

Round 4

Top two (Canada and Uruguay) qualified to World Cup as Americas 1 and 2. 3rd Place (USA) to Repechage.

Match Schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
29-June-2002Canada - USACanada26-9
9-July-2002Uruguay - ChileUruguay34-23
13-July-2002USA - CanadaUnited States13-36
27-July-2002Chile - UruguayChile10-6
15-August-2002USA - UruguayUnited States28-24
17-August-2002Canada - ChileCanada27-6
24-August-2002Uruguay - CanadaUruguay25-23
24-August-2002Chile - USAChile21-13
31-August-2002Uruguay - USAUruguay10-9
31-August-2002Chile - CanadaChile11-29
8-October-2002USA - ChileUnited States35-22
8-October-2002Canada - UruguayCanada51-16

Asia qualification

In qualification for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, there was one position available to the Asia qualifiers, as well as the possibility of further repechage qualification. Japan would go on to qualify for the competition.

Round 1 – April 2002

Pool A

Match schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
30 March 2002Malaysia - Chinese TaipeiIpoh, Malaysia3-57
6 April 2002Singapore – MalaysiaYio Chu Kang, Singapore34-5
Not PlayedChinese Taipei - SingaporeTaiwanSingapore Foreited

Pool B

Match schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
5 April 2002Arabian Gulf - ThailandDoha, Qatar40-20
12 April 2002Thailand – Hong KongBangkok, Thailand8-15
20 April 2002Hong Kong – Arabian GulfHong Kong17-7

Pool C

Match schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
5 April 2002Sri Lanka - ChinaColombo, Sri Lanka9-7
12 April 2002China – KazakhstanShanghai, China57-15
20 April 2002Kazakhstan – Sri LankaAlmaty Kazakhstan20-14

Round 2 – May, 2002

Match schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
18 May 2002Chinese Taipei - Hong KongTainan, Taiwan20-15
25 May 2002China – Chinese TaipeiShanghai, China21-29
1 June 2002Hong Kong - ChinaHong Kong34-7

Round 3 – June–July, 2002

Winner (Japan) qualified to Pool B of 2003 Rugby World Cup as Asia 1. Runner-up (Korea) advanced to Repechage.

Match schedule

DateMatchVenueResult
16 June 2002Japan - KoreaTokyo, Japan90-24
23 June 2002Chinese Taipei - KoreaTainan, Taiwan31-54
30 June 2002Korea – Chinese TaipeiSeoul, South Korea119-7
6 July 2002Japan – Chinese TaipeiTokyo, Japan155-3
14 July 2002Korea - JapanSeoul, South Korea17-55
21 July 2002Chinese Taipei - JapanTainan, Taiwan3-120

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Qualifying Results.

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