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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
Andorra La Vella
Referee: André Watson South Africa
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
Sofia

Bulgaria won 92–6 on aggregate

16 October 2004
Israel 0–53 Lithuania
Raanana
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 Spain 4 3 1 0 201 55 +146 11
2 Croatia 4 3 1 0 115 54 +61 11
3 Andorra 4 2 0 2 88 75 +13 8
4 Slovenia 4 1 0 3 58 141 −83 6
5 Hungary 4 0 0 4 40 177 −137 4

Match Schedule

23 October 2004
Hungary 16–29 Andorra
23 October 2004
Croatia 27–6 Slovenia
Split
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 Germany 4 4 0 0 248 27 +221 12
2 Moldova 4 2 0 2 100 63 +37 8
3 Denmark 4 2 0 2 33 84 −51 8
4 Austria 4 2 0 2 42 101 −56 8
5 Luxembourg 4 0 0 4 20 168 −148 4

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 Belgium 4 4 0 0 95 46 +49 12
2 Netherlands 4 3 0 1 133 53 +80 10
3 Sweden 4 2 0 2 76 98 −22 8
4 Latvia 4 1 0 3 63 103 −40 6
5 Lithuania 4 0 0 4 56 123 −67 4

Match Schedule

23 October 2004
Latvia 18–20 Sweden
30 October 2004
Belgium 23–16 Latvia
Boitsfort
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
Klaipėda

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 Poland 4 4 0 0 125 49 +76 12
2 Serbia and Montenegro 4 2 1 1 79 52 +27 9
3 Malta 4 2 0 2 66 85 −19 8
4 Switzerland 4 1 1 2 77 51 +26 7
5 Bulgaria 4 0 0 4 38 148 −110 4

Match Schedule

2 October 2004
Poland 20–15 Switzerland
16 October 2004
Switzerland 8–17 Malta
6 November 2004
Malta 13–38 Poland
Marsa
13 November 2004
Serbia and Montenegro 33–10 Bulgaria
12 March 2005
Switzerland 43–3 Bulgaria
Geneva
19 March 2005
Serbia and Montenegro 11–11 Switzerland
9 April 2005
Malta 13–24 Serbia and Montenegro
Marsa
16 April 2005
Bulgaria 15–23 Malta
Sofia
23 April 2005
Bulgaria 10–49 Poland
Sofia
7 May 2005
Poland 18–11 Serbia and Montenegro
Łódź

Playoffs

Andorra and Malta qualified for Round 3.

21 May 2005
Denmark 12–3 Malta
29 May 2005
Malta 28–18 Denmark
Marsa

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 Spain 4 4 0 0 163 32 +131 12
2 Moldova 4 3 0 1 87 96 −9 10
3 Netherlands 4 2 0 2 113 74 +39 8
4 Poland 4 1 0 3 63 131 −68 6
5 Andorra 4 0 0 4 30 123 −93 4

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 Germany 4 4 0 0 209 30 +179 12
2 Belgium 4 3 0 1 101 68 +33 10
3 Malta 4 2 0 2 42 85 −43 8
4 Croatia 4 1 0 3 76 86 −10 6
5 Serbia and Montenegro 4 0 0 4 27 186 −159 4

Match Schedule

8 October 2005
Croatia 26–9 Serbia and Montenegro
Split
29 October 2005
Belgium 26–20 Croatia
29 October 2005
Malta 0–43 Germany
Marsa
5 November 2005
Serbia and Montenegro 3–16 Malta
Pancevo
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
Marsa
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 10 8 0 2 389 94 +295 26
2 Georgia 10 8 0 2 353 125 +228 26
3 Portugal 10 6 1 3 193 183 +10 23
4 Russia 10 4 1 5 290 202 +88 19
5 Czech Republic 10 3 0 7 164 306 −142 16
5 Ukraine 10 0 0 10 77 556 −479 10

Round 4 – September 2006

Spain and Russia qualified for Round 5.

16 September 2006
Czech Republic 12–33 Spain
Ricany
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 Italy 2 2 0 0 150 7 +143 6
2 Portugal 2 1 0 1 26 106 −80 4
3 Russia 2 0 0 2 30 93 −63 2
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 Ireland [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 Romania 2 2 0 0 63 28 +35 6
2 Georgia 2 1 0 1 45 43 +2 4
3 Spain 2 0 0 2 43 80 −37 2
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.

External links

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