Romania, Spain, and Belgium out of 2019 World Cup

World Rugby have handed out severe punishments to Romania, Spain, and Belgium as a result of the player ineligibility scandal that has rocked the Rugby Europe World Cup qualification process. All three have been handed 5-point penalties for each qualifying game in which an ineligible player was used during the two-year qualification process and an additional mandatory £25,000 fine for each ineligible player used, or in the case of Romania £100,000 as they are part of the World Rugby Council.

It has emerged that Belgium fielded five ineligible players on that time, Spain as expected two, and Romania one. The penalties levied are as follows:

– Spain: 40 point deduction (8 games) plus £50,000 fine (2 players)
– Romania: 30 point deduction (6 games) plus £100,000 fine (1 player, FRR on WR Council)
– Belgium: 30 point deduction (6 games) plus £125,000 fine (5 players)

The financial penalties, however, have been suspended for five years rendering the points deductions as the only immediate sanctions.

As a result of the points deduction all three teams have dropped out of World Cup qualification contention. Russia will qualify immediately for RWC 2019 as ‘Europe 1’ and Germany will play against Portugal in the European play-off on June 9 to determine Europe 2. The winner of that match will play a home-and-away series against Samoa on June 30 and July 14, with the winner qualifying direct for RWC 2019 and the loser entered into the Repechage tournament in November.

All teams have 14 days to appeal the decision.

The decision, however, overturned World Rugby’s initial preference to order a replay for the controversial match in Brussels between Belgium and Spain. In light of that particular controversy, World Rugby have announced that they will oversee match official appointments for all future World Cup Qualifiers.