Germany Join Canada and Hong Kong In Repechage

Germany have officially joined Canada and Hong Kong in Repechage. Germany’s home 42-28 defeat today against Samoa saw the Pacific Islanders qualifying for RWC 2019 as the Play-Off Winner. The result also sent Germany into the last-chance RWC qualifying opportunity against three other countries from around the world.

Samoa’s qualification over the Pablo Lemoine coached Germany was expected. Samoa went into today’s qualifier with a massive 55 point aggregate advantage, secured by winning game one 66-15 in Apia. Germany needed to win by 55+ points today, a task Argentina, Australia, France, or Ireland would classify as extremely unlikely for their respective teams.

The Central Europeans loss did not spell elimination. Instead Germany’s unlikely path to competing for the final place at RWC 2019 will continue now in November.

Germany was the bottom placed competitor in the Rugby Europe Championship. Yet with investigations confirming that winners Romania and runners-up Spain had both breached player eligibility laws World Rugby would disqualify both in addition to the already eliminated Belgium.

The actions taken meant Russia qualified for RWC 2019 as Europe 1. They did so on the basis of being the highest placed side in the Rugby Europe Championship who had not breached player eligibility. Germany were confirmed as the runners-up and earned the right to face Samoa in the Europe vs Oceania Play-Off series following a win over Portugal.

The decision-making process took months. Either side of the change of Romania to Russia as Europe 1 were confirmation of two of the three other repechage competitors. Canada entered repechage as Americas 3 in February. They did so after having lost against Uruguay in Vancouver and Montevideo.

The second repechage slot went to Hong Kong last weekend. Hong Kong won the Asia 1 spot by comfortably downing Malaysia and South Korea. It send them into an Asia vs Oceania Play-Off against the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands found themselves in the Play-Off after World Rugby disqualified Tahiti for having fielded ineligible players.

Hong Kong accounted for the Cook Islands comfortably and something similar loomed for Samoa against Germany. However, Germany performed remarkably well for the most of their home match before falling 42-28 against Samoa.

The outcomes of the respective repechage qualifiers strongly imply that changes by World Rugby for the RWC 2019 qualifying process are greatly improved from the past but they still require further tweaking. Ideally World Rugby would have the competitive norm resembling that of the North America vs South America play-off’s between Canada and Uruguay.

Player eligibility controversies clearly influenced the process yet this could have been prevented had there been better governance from World Rugby. Complications continue to surface, most recently in Africa with Zimbabwe’s match away to Tunisia having been overshadowed by off-field controversy.

On the field, though, the Africa 1 qualifiers have been highly positive overall. Namibia and Kenya appear to be ahead of the rest. Their match on August 18 looms are the deciding game for determine both Africa 1 and Africa 2.

Africa 1 will be confirmed as the 19th qualifier for RWC 2019 while Africa 2 will join Canada, Germany, and Hong Kong in repechage. The four countries will compete in Marseille, France in November. The Stade Pierre Delort will see matches played on November 11, 17, and 23 with the overall winner qualifying for Japan 2019 as the Repechage Winner.

The Repechage Winner will compete in Pool B of RWC 2019. The pool itself has been a hot-talking point as it has been described as a favorable draw when compared to those of Americas 1 and Americas 2. The USA play against Argentina, England, France, and Tonga in Pool C while Uruguay face Australia, Fiji, Georgia, and Wales in Pool D.

Should Canada (Americas 3) survive Marseille and qualify as the Repechage Winner then they will face Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Africa 1 qualifier. Three of the matches are against Tier 1 opposition, two of which are among the leading contesters to lift the William Webb Ellis Cup. Yet Africa 1 has been described as being a winnable game for the Canadians.

The quality of the opposition need not be the focus. For Canada the only objective is qualifying. November’s Global Repechage tournament is a must-win. Japan 2019 will be the first RWC without Romania. If the North Americans do not deliver it will also be the first without Canada.

Germany and Hong Kong have both performed with merit this month. Canada must not underestimate the task awaiting them in Marseille.