Rwc Automatic Qualifiers To Rise For 2011

The International Rugby Board has announced a change to the qualifying structure
for the Rugby World Cup from 2011 with the number of automatic places set to
rise to 12.

The decision came after a meeting of the Rugby World Cup board and is
designed as a move to reduce the burden on international sides of the increasing
number of games being played.

‘In recognition of the amount of Rugby now being played and the implications
on the establishment of an integrated season the RWC Board has decided that
there should be 12 automatic qualifying places for future tournaments. This will
serve to reduce the potential number of international matches that would have to
be played in the years before a tournament by those teams who did not make the
quarter-finals of the previous RWC, reducing fixture congestion,’ said IRB
chairman, Dr Syd Millar.

‘With the top three teams in each pool qualifying directly to the next RWC
this new process raises the prospect of several Tier 2 Unions obtaining
automatic qualification. This does not happen at present and it will add
excitement and relevance to more pool matches at each tournament, including RWC
2007,’ he added.

The qualification process will see greater recognition given to the major
regional championships in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

The exact number of qualifiers from the regional championships and the World
Trophy qualifying tournament will depend upon the number of teams that will
participate in each RWC finals tournament. The RWC Board is presently reviewing
this number that presently stands at 20 teams.

The tender process for the host Union of Rugby World Cup 2015 will begin in
2008.