RWC 2023
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Looking at Band Four there are spots for Oceania 1 and Asia Pacific 1. Where do Tonga and Samoa sit in these classifications (argument could be made they fit into both) as it would be a shame to lose one or both of them from RWC? Looks like one of them will have to come through the Band 5 Final Qualifier Winner and to me that is too much a risk to take given both are pretty decent at rugby all things considered. To have either missing out to the likes of Cyprus, Germany, Portugal, Uruguay or Korea, for example, would be a great shame.
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@higgins There's a Wikipedia for the 2023 RWC qualifying process.
Oceania Rugby was granted one direct qualification berth, and will be awarded to the winner on aggregate of a Samoa–Tonga home and away play-off (Oceania 1). The loser will play the winner of the 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup to advance as Oceania 2 to a cross-regional play-off against Asia 1.It's also worth noting Samoa had to go through qualifying to make the 2019 RWC - they beat Germany 66-15 and 42-28 across two games. If you can't beat the likes of Korea and Germany you don't deserve to make the RWC.
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@kiwimurph said in RWC 2023 draw:
@higgins There's a Wikipedia for the 2023 RWC qualifying process.
Oceania Rugby was granted one direct qualification berth, and will be awarded to the winner on aggregate of a Samoa–Tonga home and away play-off (Oceania 1). The loser will play the winner of the 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup to advance as Oceania 2 to a cross-regional play-off against Asia 1.It's also worth noting Samoa had to go through qualifying to make the 2019 RWC - they beat Germany 66-15 and 42-28 across two games. If you can't beat the likes of Korea and Germany you don't deserve to make the RWC.
Samoa came last in Oceania.
Played inter-continental Qualifier v Germany.
Even if they had lost that qualifier they would have gone into the 4 team repechage tournament (Germany, Kenya, Hong Kong and Canada).Basically plenty of avenues until they had any jeopardy.
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So only difference is this time Oceania 2 (worst of the PI Big 3) will play Asia in an inter-continental qualifier instead of Europe.
So Hong Kong instead of Germany, based on 2019.
Hong Kong have just cancelled their professionals 15s high performance, due to covid.
Another disappointingly dull and safe qualification process for Oceania, IMO. They need some risk.
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@rapido said in RWC 2023 draw:
So only difference is this time Oceania 2 (worst of the PI Big 3) will play Asia in an inter-continental qualifier instead of Europe.
So Hong Kong instead of Germany, based on 2019.
Hong Kong have just cancelled their professionals 15s high performance, due to covid.
Another disappointingly dull and safe qualification process for Oceania, IMO. They need some risk.
Let's not put the cart before the horse - they need to beat Papua New Guinea first.
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@kruse said in RWC 2023 draw:
@rapido said in RWC 2023 draw:
So only difference is this time Oceania 2 (worst of the PI Big 3) will play Asia in an inter-continental qualifier instead of Europe.
So Hong Kong instead of Germany, based on 2019.
Hong Kong have just cancelled their professionals 15s high performance, due to covid.
Another disappointingly dull and safe qualification process for Oceania, IMO. They need some risk.
Let's not put the cart before the horse - they need to beat Papua New Guinea first.
Do they? They probably don't.
They didn't need to beat Cook Islands (or PNG) last time. PI Big 3 totally totally ringfenced from the other Oceania qualifiers. Cook Islands won Oceania then lost to Hong Kong. for chance at the repechage tournament. The worst a PI Big 3 can do is get knocked out during repechage.Assume still the same, haven't checked.
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I'm wrong.
For 2023.
Oceania:
a home and away play-off between Tonga and Samoa in 2021 will determine the direct qualifier for the Oceania region. – Oceania 1The loser will then play the Oceania Rugby Cup 2021 winner in the highest ranked team’s country with the eventual winner contesting Asia / Pacific (see below) as Oceania 2
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Yeah - for those who require over-sized pictures and bright colours...
("visual learners" I believe is the polite term, "dunces" the correct one):
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That opening match, not predictable at all ...Media release: All Blacks to play France in RWC 2023 opening match
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World Rugby media release: https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/news/619814/hosts-france-to-face-new-zealand-in-blockbuster-rwc-2023-opening-match
Full match schedule: https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/matches
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@stargazer said in RWC 2023 draw:
Media release: All Blacks to play France in RWC 2023 opening match
I'm kind of surprised they didn't choose Italy to get a bit of a contest but likely win.
High Reward / Low Risk move if they beat NZ first up it could really take public interest in the tournament to another level like SA beating Aus first up in 1995.
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@dmx said in RWC 2023 draw:
How is it possible Italy is in the same pool as ABs again?
Just like Wales Fiji and Australia in the same pool. I think Wales and Fiji have some sort of RWC pool love affair.
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It's all a bit repetitive isn't it?
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Who knew that public tickets have gone on sale?
Two and a half years ahead of Rugby World Cup France 2023, enthusiasm from both French and international fans is evident. Following a presale period in March for the members of the “2023 Family”, the first phase of the general public ticket sale was launched on 6 April. Fans connected in large numbers to the official ticketing platform to obtain ‘City’ and ‘Follow my Team’ packs and a new record was set with up to 4,000 tickets being sold per minute. In total, the 350,000 tickets available were sold within five hours.
Opening of the France 2023 general public ticket sale - 350,000 tickets sold | World Rugby
Official Rugby World Cup 2023 tickets were made available to fans across the globe with all 350,000 tickets sold within five hours.
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2023 Rugby World Cup qualifying - Wikipedia
Qualifying Pathway | RWC 2023
