2019 Rugby World Cup – Asia qualification

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Qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup for Asia Rugby began in May 2016 and ended in early June 2018, where the winner of the qualification process advanced to a cross-regional play-off series against the winner of Round 2 of the Oceania qualification process in June 2018.

Contents

Format

The Asia Rugby Championship, governed by Asia Rugby, was the regional qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup 2019, with Divisions 2, 1 and the Top 3 being involved in the process. The teams that competed in the 2016 Divisions 1 and 2 acted as Round 1 qualifiers, with the winner of Division 2 being promoted to Division 1, for the second regional qualification round in 2017. While the teams that competed in Division 1, contested against each other to earn the right to remain in Division 1 for the second regional qualification round, with the team placed bottom being eliminated from Rugby World Cup contention.

2017 saw Division 1 act as the main qualification tournament, where the winner advanced to Round 3 joined Hong Kong and South Korea in the top flight division.

In 2018, the winner of the 2018 Asia Rugby Championship, Round 3, advanced to the cross-regional playoff series against Oceania 4 for a repechage berth.

Entrants

Ten teams competed during for the 2019 Rugby World Cup – Asian qualification; teams world rankings are prior to the first Asian qualification match on 8 May 2016 and bold nations denotes teams have previously played in a Rugby World Cup.

NationRankBegan playQualifying status
Flag of Guam.svg  Guam 7318 May 2016Eliminated by Thailand on 18 May 2016
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 2528 April 2018Advances to Asia/Oceania play-off for repechage
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 10N/AQualified as hosts of the World Cup
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan 428 May 2016Withdrew from World Cup contention on 10 April 2016
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 588 May 2016Eliminated by South Korea on 19 May 2018
Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 548 May 2016Eliminated by Malaysia on 17 May 2017
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 598 May 2016Eliminated by Malaysia on 14 May 2016
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 2628 April 2018Eliminated by Hong Kong on 2 June 2018
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 388 May 2016Eliminated by Malaysia on 20 May 2017
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 7618 May 2016Eliminated by UAE on 21 May 2016
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 8318 May 2016Eliminated by Sri Lanka on 17 May 2017
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 8718 May 2016Eliminated by UAE on 18 May 2016

Round 1

The first round consisted of ten matches between 8 teams. The winner of the Asian Rugby Championship Division 2 (Round 1A), United Arab Emirates, advanced to the second round and was promoted to division 1 for 2017, while the bottom placed team in division 1 (Round 1B), Singapore, was relegated and thus eliminated from Rugby World Cup contention.

On 10 April 2015, Kazakhstan who were meant to compete in the 2016 Asian Rugby Championship Division 1 (Round 1B) withdrew from the competition and Rugby World Cup contention. Singapore were therefore promoted up to Division 1 and Thailand replaced Singapore in Division 2. [1]

Round 1A: 2016 Asian Rugby Championship Division 2

The 2016 Asian Rugby Championship Division 2 tournament was contested by four teams in a knockout format. The tournament was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
18 May 2016 – Tashkent
 
 
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 25
 
21 May 2016 – Tashkent
 
Flag of Guam.svg  Guam 16
 
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 18
 
18 May 2016 – Tashkent
 
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 70
 
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 65
 
 
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 13
 
Third place play-off
 
 
21 May 2016 – Tashkent
 
 
Flag of Guam.svg  Guam 23
 
 
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 22

Round 1B: 2016 Asian Rugby Championship Division 1

The 2016 Asian Rugby Championship Division 1 tournament was contested by four teams in a round robin format. The tournament was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Eliminated from RWC qualification
PosNationGamesPointsBonus
points
Total
points
PlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDifference
1Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 32019252+40311
2Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 32017580–519
3Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 31026063–337
4Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 31026597–3204
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 3 points
4 or more tries - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

Round 2: 2017 Asian Rugby Championship Division 1

The 2017 Asian Rugby Championship Division 1 tournament was held in Ipoh, Malaysia, in a round-robin format.

Advances to Round 3


PosNationGamesPointsBonus
points
Total
points
PlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff
1Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 33009839+59214
2Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 32016652+1419
3Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 31025590–3505
4Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 300365103–3800
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 3 points
4 or more tries - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

Round 3: 2018 Asia Rugby Championship

As the winner of this round, Hong Kong advances to a Cross-regional play-off series against Oceania 4, Cook Islands to earn a berth in the Repechage tournament.

Advances to Cross-regional play-off series
PosNationGamesPointsBonus
points
Total
points
PlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff
1Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 440022744+183319
2Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 420212891+37210
3Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 400440260–22000
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win - 4 points
Draw - 2 points[ citation needed ]
4 or more tries - 1 point
Loss within 7 points - 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points

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References

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