2023 men’s Rugby World Cup qualifiers explained – How Hong Kong can earn a spot in France
- Hong Kong may have to play Samoa or Tonga to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France
- First, Hong Kong must win the men’s Asian Rugby Championship to earn the right to play one of the Pacific island nations
World Rugby has announced the France 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifying process, by which the final eight spots will be determined, and the Hong Kong men’s team could have two bites at the cherry via a play-off and a final qualification tournament.
There are 12 teams who have already secured their places by finishing in the top three of their pools in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. They are Ireland, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Wales, Japan, France, Australia, Scotland, Italy, Argentina and Fiji.
The remaining eight spots will be spread across the world via regional or cross-regional competitions. The spots up for grabs are Americas one and two, Europe one and two, Africa, Oceania, Asia-Pacific and a final qualification winner.
Hong Kong will be competing for the Asia-Pacific spot or the final qualification winner.
Americas one and two: The qualification path for North and South American teams is yet to be determined, but the winner and runner-up will earn the spots, while the third best team of whatever tournament they devise will earn a spot in the final qualification tournament.
Europe one and two: The winner and runner-up of the Rugby Europe Championship 2021-22 (contested by Belgium, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Russia and Spain) will qualify and the third place will go into the final qualification tournament.
Africa: The winner of Rugby Africa Cup 2022 (contested by the top 16 teams based on the African ranking) will qualify for a spot, while the runner-up will go into the final qualification tournament.
Oceania: Samoa and Tonga will play off for a spot at the Rugby World Cup and the loser will enter the Oceania Cup 2021. The winner of the Oceania Cup 2021 (contested by American Samoa, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Cook Islands, Niue, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the Tonga/Samoa loser) will earn the chance to win the Asia-Pacific spot in France.
Asia-Pacific: The winner of the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2021 (contested by Hong Kong, Korea and Malaysia) will have a two-legged home and away play-off with the winner of the Oceania Cup 2021. The winner will go to France and the loser will enter the final qualification tournament.
