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Romania hammered Belgium in a RWC 2019 Qualifier earlier today in Buzau. The 62-12 victory included eight tries and, crucially, sees Romania’s path towards a place in Japan 2019 remaining open.
The match was Romania’s final fixture in the ongoing Rugby Europe section of RWC 2019 qualifiers. The prize for the best placed side out of Belgium, Germany, Romania, Russia and Spain is the Europe 1 spot at RWC 2019 in Japan.
Romania face Georgia next week in Tbilisi. That match is not a RWC 2019 qualifier. It is, however, a fully-capped international. While the match will gain a lot of attention for being the Eastern European classic is is to play second fiddle to Los Leones.
Spain are two wins away from qualifying as Europe 1. Recent wins over Romania and Russia have shaken up the qualifying path. Spain now needs to defeat Germany and Belgium to officially be Europe 1. First up is Germany on Sunday in Madrid. Seven days later Belgium host Spain on March 18.
The Prize
Europe 1 qualification matches are to conclude next weekend. In addition to Belgium vs Spain, Germany will play host to Russia. Neither side can qualify. Only Spain and Romania are in a position to do so with Romania needing Spain to lose.
The successful Europe 1 qualifier – Spain or Romania will have the honor of playing in the RWC 2019 opener. This will be unprecedented as never before has either team had such a fixture. Moreover Spain’s one RWC appearance was in 1999. Japan vs Spain indeed looms as a World Rugby legacy.
Europe 1 will join not only Japan but also both Ireland and Scotland in Pool A. The fifth participant is to be a qualifier known as the Play-Off Winner.
Grave Canadian Concerns
Spain’s successes have torn up the script. Combined with Canada’s RWC qualifying defeats against Uruguay it leaves RWC 2019 as being historic with a regular set to miss out.
While the Europe 1 winner advances to RWC 2019 Europe 2 will face Samoa in a winner-takes-all Play-Off. The winner of this match will claim the Play-Off Winner’s spot in Pool A.
The loser of the Play-Off Winner spot will join Canada in repechage as will two other countries. The four repechage participant will compete in a tournament in November with the winner qualifying for RWC 2019 and entering Pool B.
The prize for the repechage winner is extremely challenging but comes with a light at the end of the tunnel. Italy, New Zealand and South Africa are all in the pool. The remaining qualifier will be Africa 1, likely Namibia. It is a fixture which Canada, Romania or Samoa would enter as favorites.
The African qualifier is the be confirmed mid-year with Africa 2 joining Canada and Europe 2 in repechage. The remaining spot will go to the winner of an Asia / Oceania play-off.
Should Spain qualify as Europe 1 then it would be impossible for RWC 2019 to have all three of Romania, Samoa and Canada. Two can qualify, three cannot.
Can Still Qualify for RWC 2019
Officially there are 15 teams still in the running to qualify for RWC 2019. Canada is the only country from the Americas which can still do so. Europe has Romania, Portugal, and Spain, Oceania has Samoa and Tahiti, Asia has Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Korea, while Africa has Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
