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10-day trial by fire set to decide final Rugby World Cup qualifier out of Africa
While the global pandemic has been a major disrupter at all levels of the game, it’s the teams who are still vying for spots at the 2023 Rugby World Cup who have arguably been most affected.
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The likes of South Africa and Japan weren’t able to play any matches in 2020 while other top sides from around the world found their schedules changing on the daily but at least some semblance of normality returned last year.
The same can’t necessarily be said for the emerging nations around the world, however. While past World Cup winners England, Australia and New Zealand may have lost significant revenue and a cluster of fixtures, their four-year World Cup cycle hasn’t really changed significantly. For the teams who have limited opportunities to play test matches but have to somehow prepare for World Cup qualification, it’s fair to say the past two years have been nightmarish.
Samoa and Tonga played off last July to determine who would qualify as the Pacific representative at the 2023 World Cup, despite neither side having any significant rugby under their belts since the last tournament in 2019.
It was a similar story for the Americas qualifiers who played a spate of matches over the second half of the season to decide who would progress straight through to the 2023 event and who would be left to fight it out for a spot in the final repechage tournament. Canada were the big losers in these matches, going down to the USA (in their first tests since 2019) and Chile to see them miss out on a World Cup for the first time in the competition’s history.
Of course, the tier-two and three sides have always faced the toughest conditions over the years, and even if they do manage to qualify for rugby’s showpiece event, they tend to face the toughest schedules. Thankfully, that’s no longer set to be the case at 2023 with more evenly distributed rests between matches than in tournaments of the past. Unfortunately, however, that luxury isn’t set to be extended to this year’s major qualifying tournament between the top rugby-playing nations of Africa, with World Rugby unveiling a draw this week that will prove incredibly challenging for the eight teams involved.
The national sides of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Algeria will all converge in France later this year to take place in the 2022 Africa Cup, which will be a strict eight-team knockout competition (quarter-finals, semi-finals and a grand final) to determine the Africa qualifier for next year’s World Cup. The winner will be placed into Pool A alongside New Zealand, France, Italy and Uruguay.
Congratulations to the teams who have qualified for Rugby Africa Cup Pools 2022 🏉💪#RAC2021 #RugbyAfricaCup #WhyWePlay #AfricaAsOne #Rugby pic.twitter.com/UPbSXPoX9q
— Rugby Afrique (@RugbyAfrique) July 23, 2021
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The major kicker, however, is that the tournament will be played over just 10 days. While every team will be on equal footing, it’s difficult to envisage a situation where the likes of Ireland, Wales or South Africa would be expected to play through a similar gauntlet of matches over such a short period to decide a crucial World Cup spot.
Based on historical results, the tournament will be a straight shoot-out between Namibia, Zimbabwe and perhaps Kenya for World Cup qualification, although Namibia will enter the 10-day event as clear favourites.
While the Welwitschias did suffer a shock loss to Ivory Coast during last year’s fixtures, no such result will be anticipated when Namibia have all their players on deck and a spot on rugby’s highest stage is on the line.
The losing finalist will then join the repechage tournament, where they will face off with the best-of-the-rest teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia.
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The Rugby Africa Cup will kick off on 1 July with the final set to be played on July 10. All matches will be hosted in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence.
Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments