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Japan 2019 is to be the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup (RWC). Unlike all prior tournaments it is to be the first in a country not categorized as a Tier 1 union. Yet with recent on-field success and Japan’s huge population the Tier 2 status is far less defining of RWC 2019 as it used to be.
RWC 2019 is to be the fifth consecutive tournament under the current model. The 20 teams are divided into four pools of five with countries set to compete from from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America.
All prior tournaments have had the same geographical distribution. From 1987-1995 the RWC was a 16-team competition. In 1999 it became 20 with five pools of four while in 2003 the existing model was born. World Rugby has hinted that 2023 looms as the first under a format of 24 teams.
The twenty countries that will play in Japan 2019 not only cover the four corners of the globe but they also come in all shapes and sizes. This is true both of the size and population. It is the latter which is the subject of today’s article.
With a population of 126 million Japan is the 10th most populated country in the world. It is easily the largest of all RWC tournament hosts from 1987-2023. RWC 1987 and RWC 2011 hosts New Zealand rank as 127th in the world with a population of 4.5 million.
Of all twenty competing countries at RWC 2019 Japan ranks third in terms of population. New Zealand comes in at 14th. RWC 2015 hosts England are 7th while RWC 2007 and 2023 hosts France are 4th.
The Americas is to account for four of the twenty competitors at RWC 2019. The USA tops the list of all 20 as the most populated country in the tournament. Argentina is 8th, Canada 9th, and Uruguay 15th.
The twenty countries with lower populations than Uruguay are and Fiji, Namibia, Samoa, Tonga, Wales. Three of them are from Oceania, one from Africa and one from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK).
It is as (a) the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland in which they are represented in global politics in the form of the United Nations. But in rugby they compete as England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
The four Home Unions mean the island of Great Britain is divided into three internationals unions and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland combine to compete as one. Together they form the union of Ireland which represents all territory of the island of Ireland. England, Scotland, and Wales are the same for both soccer and rugby. Their populations are listed below accordingly.
World Rugby’s definition of the Home Unions means that the populations of Northern Ireland (1.87 million) and the Republic of Ireland (5.068 million) are added together for the following analysis. Combined they give Ireland a total population slightly less than 7 million.
In the event that the two Ireland’s were to replicate soccer by separating for international rugby competition then Ireland would be 13th while Northern Ireland would be listed as the 18th overall.
| RANKING | COUNTRY | POPULATION | COMPARISON TO THE WORLD |
| 1 | USA | 329 million | 3 |
| 2 | Russia | 142 million | 9 |
| 3 | Japan | 126 million | 10 |
| 4 | France | 67 million | 21 |
| 5 | Italy | 62 million | 23 |
| 6 | South Africa | 55 million | 26 |
| 7 | England | 55 million* | 27* |
| 8 | Argentina | 44 million | 31 |
| 9 | Canada | 35 million | 38 |
| 10 | Australia | 23 million | 56 |
| 11 | Ireland | 6.9 million* | 121* (Rep.IRL), 149* (N.IRL) |
| 12 | Scotland | 5.4 million* | 116 |
| 13 | Georgia | 4.9 million | 124 |
| 14 | New Zealand | 4.5 million | 127 |
| 15 | Uruguay | 3.3 million | 133 |
| 16 | Wales | 3.1 million* | 136* |
| 17 | Namibia | 2.5 million | 142 |
| 18 | Fiji | 0.926 million | 161 |
| 19 | Samoa | 0.201 million | 185 |
| 20 | Tonga | 0.106 million | 193 |
* The total population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 65 million. This makes it the 22nd most populated country in the world. For international rugby purposes the populations are separated into England (55 million), Scotland (5.4 million), Wales (3 million) and Northern Ireland (1.87 million). Northern Ireland’s population is combined to that with the Republic of Ireland.
