RWC 2015 qualifying

Hammer Archer

Thought this was interesting.
Amazingly, the qualification process for RWC 2015 starts tomorrow when Mexico host Jamaica and the game is to be refereed by none other than Mr. Joubert (some may say he's found his level). Lawrence Dallaglio is also making an appearance along with the Webb Ellis trophy itself.
Joubert interview on the game
Mexico officials interview

While the teams involved at this stage have zero chance of making the finals, is it not a bit strange to start the qualifying process when the tournament itself is well over 3 years away?

ormond lad

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Thought this was interesting.
Amazingly, the qualification process for RWC 2015 starts tomorrow when Mexico host Jamaica and the game is to be refereed by none other than Mr. Joubert (some may say he's found his level). Lawrence Dallaglio is also making an appearance along with the Webb Ellis trophy itself.
Joubert interview on the game
Mexico officials interview

While the teams involved at this stage have zero chance of making the finals, is it not a bit strange to start the qualifying process when the tournament itself is well over 3 years away?

Its not that strange - happens in plenty of sports. their will be 80+ teams trying to qualify in 1 of 8 places and with the different standards etc in each region the qualification will be staggered with the best teams in the qualifying process not starting their attempt to qualify for a good while yet

delta_bravo

No its not unusual. Qualifiers for the soccer world cup in 2014 started last autumn I think

errlloyd

What sort of Level are Mexico at, like could they beat the winners of the Leinster Senior cup?

Madworld

errlloyd wrote: »

What sort of Level are Mexico at, like could they beat the winners of the Leinster Senior cup?

A LSC team trains 4 or 5 days a week with gym sessions most days. I would hazard a guess and say that the winner of the LSC would beat most international teams outside the top 25.

CatFromHue

I wouldn't be so sure Madworld. The schools teams are still only teenagers and they'd be coming up against full grown men. The strength difference would be very big for most players.

Fishooks12

I'd guess that most decent J1 sides would beat a schools team

The difference in physicality would be too telling

helimachoptor

delta_bravo wrote: »

No its not unusual. Qualifiers for the soccer world cup in 2014 started last autumn I think

They don't star stil this August. Soccer qualifying campaigns are about 15 months long. August to November the following year

its_phil

helimachoptor wrote: »

They don't star stil this August. Soccer qualifying campaigns are about 15 months long. August to November the following year

They actually started back in November.

Your thinking European.

justsomebloke

It seems mexico won this 68-14

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/qualifying/fixtures/index.html

ArmaniJeanss

As said already starting the qualification process so early is standard enough.

Whats more curious is having the draw for the finals in December 2012, just under 3 years before the competition and way before all the qualification is actually complete, with non-qualified teams slotted in to the draw as Europe II, Oceania I etc. I know from soccer that part of the fun of (rare) qualification is the draw, wondering who you'll get.

Anyone know the reason rugby does the draw so early.

Rattlehead_ie

Hazard a guess thats its to do with the ranking system and that a year after the last world cup it then gives the teams 3 years to facilitate brining in youth without worrying about dropping places in the world ranking? Now that Im just picking out of the air........or maybe my ars....

wp_rathead

Congrats to Mexico
Jamaica best stick to the bobsleighing

Swiwi.

Tomorrow, either Canada or the US of A will join Ireland etc in Pool D. Who would you rather have - the Canucks or the Eagles?

Howard Juneau

I would love to see Cyprus qualify for the World Cup. They've come on leaps & bounds over the last few years & have a point to prove to the IRB

RoutineBites

Howard Juneau wrote: »

I would love to see Cyprus qualify for the World Cup. They've come on leaps & bounds over the last few years & have a point to prove to the IRB

Sadly that won't be happening for a very long time. Can I ask what the, "point to prove" is? Something to do with the fact that the Cypriot union isn't affiliated with the IRB?

Beery Eyed

Le vieux renard wrote: »

Tomorrow, either Canada or the US of A will join Ireland etc in Pool D. Who would you rather have - the Canucks or the Eagles?

The Canadians are far stronger than the US at the moment, judging by performances since the last WC. They are developing a strong structure in the game in Canada as well. They have provincial teams now, albeit still amateur of course. The club scene is also very strong, so hopefully they continue in this vein and grow the game there.

ArmaniJeanss

Canada take an 18 point cushion into the second leg (in Canada) so hard to see them losing.
The winner will be the opposition in Irelands first group game, in Cardiff.

thomond2006

Georgia and Romania qualified today. Apparently 50,000 watched Georgia beat Russia!

Swiwi.

Swiwi. wrote: »

Tomorrow, either Canada or the US of A will join Ireland etc in Pool D. Who would you rather have - the Canucks or the Eagles?

And Ireland also now get Georgia or Romania. Given 2007, I assume Ireland would prefer Romania :pac:

sydneybound

thomond2006 wrote: »

Georgia and Romania qualified today. Apparently 50,000 watched Georgia beat Russia!

Just shy of 55,000 turned up to watch the games, brilliant crowd.

http://www.espn.co.uk/2015-rugby-world-cup/rugby/story/215921.html


Taken from another forum about funding....

Georgian government will invest GEL 33 673 968 (€ 14 195 615) between 2014 and 2016 for rugby development
Each team from Georgian championship will receive GEL 400 000 (€ 168 624) instead of GEL 100 000 currently

THis is huge money for Georgian Rugby.

justsomebloke

thomond2006 wrote: »

Georgia and Romania qualified today. Apparently 50,000 watched Georgia beat Russia!

You've got to think both of them would love to be the runner up as oppose to the winner just to see how hey would get on in the "mini 6 nations" pool

Podge_irl

justsomebloke wrote: »

You've got to think both of them would love to be the runner up as oppose to the winner just to see how hey would get on in the "mini 6 nations" pool

They'd be much more likely to get 3rd and automatic qualification for 2019 in the other pool though.

ArmaniJeanss

justsomebloke wrote: »

You've got to think both of them would love to be the runner up as oppose to the winner just to see how hey would get on in the "mini 6 nations" pool

Europe2 has a horrible schedule*, perhaps the worst in the competition so I don't think theres any doubt that both will be trying to be Europe1 instead.
Carrot of playing NZ as well will surely be huge for them.

* e.g., only 3 rest days between playing first game against France and second game against Ireland.

timaru89

More than likely going to be Romania in our RWC group. Georgia have Romania at home so they would be favourites win that and therefore qualify as Europe 1.

Does anyone know when they will confirm which team we are playing in the second AI in November? Read somewhere that it would probably be Georgia but still just says Tier 2 nation on IRFU site.

Swiwi.

As far as I can tell from the IRB website, the countries still in the qualifying process are

Africa: Madagascar, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia
Americas: Uruguay, USA
Asia: Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Sri Lanka
Europe: Russia, Netherlands, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden
Oceania: Cook Islands, Fiji

Oceania winner will be Fiji, Asia winner will be Japan, Americas winner will be USA, Africa winner maybe Kenya, Europe probably Russia (would love Sweden to qualify, they have great fans I believe). Russia would qualify for the repecharge process, as would the runner up of the Africa, Americas and Asian pools: maybe Russia, Uruguay, Phillipines, Namibia.

The attendance at these minor fixtures is to be commended, Madagascar got 40,000 for one of their recent home fixtures.

Hagz

Swiwi. wrote: »

Europe probably Russia (would love Sweden to qualify, they have great fans I believe).

Yeah they do

Swiwi.

So Japan have qualified and will be in Pool B. They will target Scotland I reckon, and to a lesser extent Samoa.

sydthebeat

Swiwi. wrote: »

So Japan have qualified and will be in Pool B. They will target Scotland I reckon, and to a lesser extent Samoa.

I think i heard on total rugby that Japan have gained bonus points in something like 15 consecutive games. ....

Swiwi.

sydthebeat wrote: »

I think i heard on total rugby that Japan have gained bonus points in something like 15 consecutive games. ....

Well it certainly wasn't Scotland anyway! SA should top the pool, but Samoa will rate themselves a good chance for 2nd - hopefully they get fair refereeing this time, a bit shafted in '11.

ArmaniJeanss

Fiji unsurprisingly took the Oceania place with a 108-6 mauling of Cook Islands in the qualifying final on Saturday morning.

They play in the opening game at Twickenham v England, followed by Australia and Wales in Cardiff and the repechege winner in Milton Keynes.

bilston

Kenya best Namibia and Zimbabwe put 50 odd on Madagascar n the first round of the African round robin games. I hope Kenya get through as it is always nice to see a new name in the WC.

I am pie

Any feasible way for Uruguay to qualify?

LeinsterDub

I am pie wrote: »

Any feasible way for Uruguay to qualify?

They are in the repechage along with Russia , Hong Kong more qualifiers to be decided from africa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Rugby_World_Cup_%E2%80%93_Repechage_qualification

P_1

I am pie wrote: »

Any feasible way for Uruguay to qualify?

Beat Hong Kong in Montevideo
Beat the winner of Russia v Namibia/Kenya over 2 legs

thomond2006

Australia, England, Wales, Fiji, Playoff Winner

That's some pool but the playoff winner is in for some hidings!

Swiwi.

thomond2006 wrote: »

Australia, England, Wales, Fiji, Playoff Winner

That's some pool but the playoff winner is in for some hidings!

There are 2 interesting pools in the RWC

Pool A: Who will go thru? And can Fiji upset Wales again?
Pool B: Scotland or Samoa? Can Japan upset the Scots

I guess in Pool C can Tonga upset Argentina, and in Pool D Canada upset italy

Tox56

Swiwi. wrote: »

There are 2 interesting pools in the RWC

Pool A: Who will go thru? And can Fiji upset Wales again?
Pool B: Scotland or Samoa? Can Japan upset the Scots

I guess in Pool C can Tonga upset Argentina, and in Pool D Canada upset italy

USA are also in that Pool B, great chance for the two developing countries to at least be competitive in the Samoa and Scotland games. OK they won't be qualifying to the next round but it would be great to see them pick up a scalp or two

The Lost Sheep

Namibia won the Africa Cup on points difference this morning from Zimbabwe and Kenya. The Namibians go into Pool C with New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Georgia.

The final place in the world cup will be decided with the Repechage qualification games.
Russia host Zimbabwe and Uruguay host Hong Kong on August 2/3 before the winners of each game face off in a two legged final on September 27/28 and October 11/12

Podge_irl

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Namibia won the Africa Cup on points difference this morning from Zimbabwe and Kenya. The Namibians go into Pool C with New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Georgia.

The final place in the world cup will be decided with the Repechage qualification games.
Russia host Zimbabwe and Uruguay host Hong Kong on August 2/3 before the winners of each game face off in a two legged final on September 27/28 and October 11/12

Was hoping to see Kenya make it. Shame. No new blood this year so.

ArmaniJeanss

Russia beat Urguay 22-21 in the first leg of the repechege playoff today for the final qualifying spot (goes into England group).
Second leg in Montevideo in 2 weeks.

croket

I think Uruguay will qualify
Lost away by only 1 point is a good result for them

sydneybound

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Russia beat Urguay 22-21 in the first leg of the repechege playoff today for the final qualifying spot (goes into England group).
Second leg in Montevideo in 2 weeks.

All things considered good result for Uruguay losing by just one point away from home, you got to fancy them in the return tie.

Thought Russia would be a bit stronger by now, don't they have a professional league? Maybe the benefits of that is still a few years away.

The Lost Sheep

sydneybound wrote: »

All things considered good result for Uruguay losing by just one point away from home, you got to fancy them in the return tie.

Thought Russia would be a bit stronger by now, don't they have a professional league? Maybe the benefits of that is still a few years away.

The league in Russia is professional but hard to say on quality of competition. One of the top sides in Russia, Enesei, have came on tour to Ireland several times in recent years and done quite well against development/A sides from Munster, Connacht.

croket

sydneybound wrote: »

All things considered good result for Uruguay losing by just one point away from home, you got to fancy them in the return tie.

Thought Russia would be a bit stronger by now, don't they have a professional league? Maybe the benefits of that is still a few years away.

Russia's situation is very particular.
There are only 2 big clubs in Russia, both are from Krasnoyarsk (Krasny Yar and Enisey-STM). From various sources, budgets from these clubs are from 3M€ to 5M€.
66% players from the national team are playing for one of these 2 clubs and they are only teams to have NZ players, some of them with Super Rugby experience. They are also some good players from border countries like Kacharava (70 caps for Georgia) and best players from minor border countries (for example, Dumitru Arhip from Ospreys played for Enisey-STM before moving to Wales, Cobilas from Sale Sharks also played previously in Russia)
They trash easily all other teams so they aren't prepared for hard games

A third team try to resist : VVA Saracens, the team from Gagarin Air Force Academy who signed recently a partnership with Saracens. Apart an ukrainian, all the players are russians and 4 of them took part of the game against Uruguay, but they can't compete against Krasny Yar and Enisey-STM.

Other teams are trashed, their budgets are not so low but :
- they are eaten by travels, Russia is so big
- they depend of local authorities

An example : last year, a team, Kuban Krasnodar was promoted to the first division. Local authorities have supported the team and Kuban signed some good players, including Kushnarev (current Russia fly half) and Darren Morris, a prop capped by Wales and B&I Lions. The team finished in the middle table. For the 2014 season, the local authorities from Krasnodar Krai decided to give all grants to Sochi and Olympic Games. The team disapeared from the first division and play only rugby sevens now.

Other problems are salaries. They are high in Russia, so russians players don't want go to a greatest league, far away from their house with a lower salary. For example, when he signed to Wasps, hooker Korshunov said his salary was divided by 2. Another example, at Kuban there was a promising ukrainian. Darren Morris found him a contract with a welsh team, the player refused because the salary...

But the biggest problem is from the russian federation. I do not know all the details but they work like a mafia

sydneybound

That's crazy I didn't think the money was anywhere that high. Not surprised players don't want to leave when their getting that money. I'm surprised they weren't offered to play in the play off matches for the Challenge Cup (whatever the name).

In a way for rugby to develop further in their country I hope they qualify.

When you think whoever qualifies they'll be playing some huge games in front of massive crowds as they'll be in the same group as the hosts, Wales and Australia. The England game is already sold out in Manchester.

sydneybound

Yeah I have furthered my interest with Russia after doing some reading the game is very big in certain parts. Hope they qualify...

http://www.espn.co.uk/2015-rugby-world-cup/rugby/story/242525.html

If they and Romania along with Spain (in time) got stronger they would offer Georgia some meaningful competition in European Nations Cup.

DGRulz

Just noticed the post on Facebook that Uruguay have qualified after an aggregate score of 54 - 49