2007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification

2007 Rugby World Cup – European qualification was a European Nations Cup competition that decided which European teams participated in the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. The group stages counted towards both qualification and the European Nations Cup. Hosts France and other 2003 World Cup quarter finalists England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales qualified automatically.

Qualification process

There were three places available for European teams, and one place in the repechage. The teams were ranked according to their division in the European Nations Cup, taking into account the relegations and promotions at the end of the previous competition. Note that for the 2004/05 season Division 1 did not count towards World Cup qualification. The 2005/06 season decided which round (either 4 or 5) the teams entered. In the group rounds, there were three points awarded for a win, two for a draw, and one for a loss. There were no bonus points awarded.

Round 1

The eight teams from divisions 3B (apart from newly relegated from 3A Hungary) and 3C (apart from Azerbaijan and Armenia) played each other in four two-legged playoffs. The winners entered the next round.

Round 2

The four Round 1 winners, Hungary, and the fifteen teams from divisions 2A, 2B and 3A were drawn into four groups of five. They played each other once, with the best two teams qualifying for the next round. The third placed teams played in two two-legged playoffs to qualify for the next round.

Round 3

The four winners, four runners-up, and two play-off winners from Round 2 were drawn into two groups of five. The best team from each group played each other in a two legged playoff for a place in the next round.

Round 4

The bottom three teams from Division 1 2005/06 and the winner of the previous round played two two-legged playoffs to enter the next round.

Round 5

The winner of Round 4 Playoff 1, the third placed team from Division 1 2005/06 and Six Nations competitor Italy form Pool A. The winner of Round 4 Playoff 2 and the first and second placed teams from Division 1 2005/06 form Pool B. The top team from each pool qualified for the World Cup as Europe 1 and Europe 2. The second placed teams entered the next round.

Round 6

The two second placed teams from Round 5 played a two-legged playoff, with the winner qualifying for the World Cup as Europe 3. The loser entered the repechage as Europe 4.

Round 1

Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria and Lithuania qualified for round 2.

4 September 2004
Andorra  76–3  Norway

18 September 2004
Norway  9–23  Andorra

Andorra won 99–12 on aggregate

The first match was refereed by André Watson. He was called by the International Board, because in this way the first match of qualification the new edition of Rugby World Cup could be refereed by the same judge as the last match (the final) of the Rugby World Cup 2003. Watson had announced his retirement from international rugby only three months before after a match between Australia and Pacific Islands.

25 September 2004
Bosnia and Herzegovina  10–29  Austria

16 October 2004
Austria  12–7  Bosnia and Herzegovina

Austria won 41–17 on aggregate

18 September 2004
Finland  3–42  Bulgaria

30 October 2004
Bulgaria  50–3  Finland

Bulgaria won 92–6 on aggregate

16 October 2004
Israel  0–53  Lithuania

23 October 2004
Lithuania  60–7  Israel

Lithuania won 113–7 on aggregate

Round 2

Pool A

Spain and Croatia qualified for Round 3. Andorra entered the playoffs.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Spain431020155+14611
2 Croatia431011554+6111
3 Andorra42028875+138
4 Slovenia410358141−836
5 Hungary400440177−1374

Match Schedule

23 October 2004
Hungary  16–29  Andorra

23 October 2004
Croatia  27–6  Slovenia

6 November 2004
Slovenia  41–0  Hungary

21 November 2004
Croatia  18–7  Andorra

21 November 2004
Spain  63–9  Hungary

13 February 2004
Andorra  14–36  Spain

27 March 2005
Slovenia  6–76  Spain

10 April 2005
Spain  26–26  Croatia

23 April 2005
Hungary  15–44  Croatia

30 April 2005
Andorra  38–5  Slovenia

Pool B

Germany and Moldova qualified for Round 3. Denmark entered the playoffs.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Germany440024827+22112
2 Moldova420210063+378
3 Denmark42023384−518
4 Austria420242101−568
5 Luxembourg400420168−1484

Match Schedule

30 October 2004
Denmark  11–20  Moldova

13 November 2004
Moldova  18–27  Germany

13 November 2004
Luxembourg  5–6  Denmark

27 November 2004
Germany  96–0  Luxembourg

2 April 2005
Germany  56–0  Denmark

9 April 2005
Denmark  16–3  Austria

16 April 2005
Moldova  55–6  Luxembourg

23 April 2005
Austria  9–69  Germany

30 April 2005
Austria  19–7  Moldova

7 May 2005
Luxembourg  9–11  Austria

Pool C

Belgium and the Netherlands qualified for Round 3. Sweden entered the playoffs.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Belgium44009546+4912
2 Netherlands430113353+8010
3 Sweden42027698−228
4 Latvia410363103−406
5 Lithuania400456123−674

Match Schedule

23 October 2004
Latvia  18–20  Sweden

30 October 2004
Belgium  23–16  Latvia

31 October 2004
Sweden  32–20  Lithuania

9 April 2005
Lithuania  13–21  Belgium

16 April 2005
Belgium  15–10  Netherlands

23 April 2005
Netherlands  24–17  Sweden

30 April 2005
Sweden  7–36  Belgium

30 April 2005
Latvia  19–12  Lithuania

7 May 2005
Netherlands  48–10  Latvia

14 May 2005
Lithuania  11–51  Netherlands

Pool D

Poland and Serbia and Montenegro qualified for round 3. Malta entered the playoffs.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Poland440012549+7612
2 Serbia and Montenegro42117952+279
3 Malta42026685−198
4  Switzerland41127751+267
5 Bulgaria400438148−1104

Match Schedule

2 October 2004
Poland  20–15   Switzerland

16 October 2004
Switzerland   8–17  Malta

6 November 2004
Malta  13–38  Poland

13 November 2004
Serbia and Montenegro  33–10  Bulgaria

12 March 2005
Switzerland   43–3  Bulgaria

19 March 2005
Serbia and Montenegro  11–11   Switzerland

9 April 2005
Malta  13–24  Serbia and Montenegro

16 April 2005
Bulgaria  15–23  Malta

23 April 2005
Bulgaria  10–49  Poland

7 May 2005
Poland  18–11  Serbia and Montenegro

Playoffs

Andorra and Malta qualified for Round 3.

21 May 2005
Denmark  12–3  Malta

29 May 2005
Malta  28–18  Denmark

Malta win 31–30 on aggregate

28 May 2005
Andorra  30–20  Sweden
Foix (France)

4 June 2005
Sweden  14–10  Andorra
Vanersborg

Andorra won 40–34 on aggregate

Round 3

Pool A

Spain entered playoff.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Spain440016332+13112
2 Moldova43018796−910
3 Netherlands420211374+398
4 Poland410363131−686
5 Andorra400430123−934

Match Schedule

29 October 2005
Poland  18–14  Andorra

12 November 2005
Spain  68–12  Poland

12 November 2005
Moldova  30–27  Netherlands

19 November 2005
Moldova  7–40  Spain

26 November 2005
Netherlands  51–0  Andorra

11 March 2006
Andorra  0–31  Spain

8 April 2006
Poland  13–27  Moldova

22 April 2006
Netherlands  22–20  Poland

29 April 2006
Spain  24–13  Netherlands

6 May 2006
Andorra  16–23  Moldova

Pool B

Germany entered playoff.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Germany440020930+17912
2 Belgium430110168+3310
3 Malta42024285−438
4 Croatia41037686−106
5 Serbia and Montenegro400427186−1594

Match Schedule

8 October 2005
Croatia  26–9  Serbia and Montenegro

29 October 2005
Belgium  26–20  Croatia

29 October 2005
Malta  0–43  Germany

5 November 2005
Serbia and Montenegro  3–16  Malta

11 November 2005
Germany  108–0  Serbia and Montenegro

8 April 2006
Serbia and Montenegro  15–36  Belgium

15 April 2006
Malta  26–15  Croatia

22 April 2006
Croatia  15–25  Germany

22 April 2006
Belgium  24–0  Malta

29 April 2006
Germany  33–15  Belgium

Playoff

Spain qualified for Round 4.

14 May 2006
Germany  18–6  Spain

28 May 2006
Spain  36–10  Germany

Spain win 42–28 on aggregate

European Nations Cup Division 1 2004/06

See European Nations Cup (rugby union)

Romania, Georgia, and Portugal qualified for Round 5. Russia, Czech Republic, and Ukraine qualified for Round 4.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Romania 1080238994+29526
2 Georgia10802353125+22826
3 Portugal10613193183+1023
4 Russia10415290202+8819
5 Czech Republic10307164306−14216
5 Ukraine 10001077556−47910

Round 4 – September 2006

Spain and Russia qualified for Round 5.

16 September 2006
Czech Republic  12–33  Spain

30 September 2006
Spain  46–17  Czech Republic

Spain won 79–29 on aggregate

23 September 2006
Ukraine  11–25  Russia

30 September 2006
Russia  37–17  Ukraine

Russia won 62–28 on aggregate

Round 5 – October 2006

Pool A

Italy qualified for World Cup as Europe 1. Portugal entered Round 6.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Italy22001507+1436
2 Portugal210126106−804
3 Russia20023093−632
Match Schedule
7 October 2006
Italy  83–0  Portugal
Try: M Bergamasco
Bortolami
Canavosio
Dellape
Festuccia
Masi (2)
Robertson (3)
Stanojevic (3)
Con: Bortolussi (8)
Peens
Stadio T.Fattori, L'Aquila
Referee: Donal Courtney [1][2]

14 October 2006
Russia  7–67  Italy

28 October 2006
Portugal  26–23  Russia

Pool B

Romania qualified for World Cup as Europe 2. Georgia entered Round 6.

Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Romania22006328+356
2 Georgia21014543+24
3 Spain20024380−372
Match Schedule
7 October 2006
Romania  20–8  Georgia

14 October 2006
Spain  20–43  Romania

28 October 2006
Georgia  37–23  Spain

Round 6 – November 2006

Georgia qualified for World Cup as Europe 3. Portugal entered repechage as Europe 4.

11 November 2006
Georgia  17–3  Portugal

25 November 2006
Portugal  11–11  Georgia

Georgia won 28–14 on aggregate

References

  1. "Italy (40) 83 – 0 (0) Portugal (FT)". en.espn.co.uk. 7 October 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. "Donal Courtney Retires As International Referee". www.irishrugby.ie. 26 April 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
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