2023 Rugby World Cup – Africa qualification
The 2021–22 Rugby Africa Cup, which doubles as Qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup for Africa began in June 2021, where teams will compete for one direct qualification spot into the final World Cup tournament and for one place in the Final Qualification Tournament.[1]
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 5 June 2021 – TBD |
| No. of nations | 14 |
← 2019 2027 → | |
← 2019–20 |
Format
The World Cup qualification process doubles as a new two-year format for the Africa Cup.
Qualifying begins with a round robin tournament between Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Burundi. The winner of this tournament advances to the group stage of the tournament.
The top two teams from each of the four groups then advance to the final round in 2022. The top team from the final round qualifies as Africa 1. The second place team advances to the Final Qualification Tournament.[2]
Entrants
Fourteen participants will enter the Africa qualifiers in a bid to join South Africa (already qualified due to top 3 finish in the pool stages in 2019) at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Three teams begin play in Round 1, with eleven more in Round 2. The same seeding from the cancelled 2019–20 Rugby Africa Cup is used for the group stage. Team World rankings taken prior to first Africa qualifying match.[3]
Teams in bold have previously competed in a Rugby World Cup.
| Nation | Rank | Began play | Qualifying status |
|---|---|---|---|
 Algeria | 92 | 14 July 2021 | |
 Burkina Faso | 90 | 5 June 2021 | |
 Burundi | 102 | 5 June 2021 | Eliminated by Cameroon on 9 June 2021 |
 Cameroon | 105 | 5 June 2021 | Eliminated by Burkina Faso on 13 June 2021 |
 Ghana | 87 | 10 July 2021 | Eliminated by Algeria on 18 July 2021 |
 Ivory Coast | 40 | 3 July 2021 | |
 Kenya | 35 | 3 July 2021 | |
 Madagascar | 47 | 1 July 2021 | Eliminated by points difference on 11 July 2021 |
 Namibia | 25 | 7 July 2021 | |
 Senegal | 45 | 3 July 2021 | |
 South Africa | 1 | N/A | Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup |
 Tunisia | 39 | 10 July 2021 | Withdrew from qualification tournament on 8 July 2021 |
 Uganda | 41 | 10 July 2021 | |
 Zambia | 68 | 7 July 2021 | Eliminated by Kenya on 11 July 2021 |
 Zimbabwe | 34 | 18 July 2021 |
Round 1: Rugby Africa Cup Repechage
The first round was a round-robin held from 5–13 June 2021 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.[4]
| Advanced to Round 2 |
| Rank | Team | Games | Points | Bonus Points |
Table Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | ||||
| 1 | Burkina Faso | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 16 | +53 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | Cameroon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 94 | 20 | +74 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Burundi | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 133 | -127 | 0 | 0 |
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win - 4 points Draw - 1 points 4 or more tries - 1 point Loss within 7 points - 1 point Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points | ||||||||||
5 June 2021 16:00 |
| (1 BP) Burkina Faso |
52–3 | Burundi |
|---|---|---|
| Try: Kassoum Deme 1' Antoine Yameogo 26' Ali Papi Traore 33', 38' Ousmane Tioro 45', 67' Anourou Bance 49' Maraoubil Sale 58' Con: Kassoum Deme (3/7) 27', 34', 58' Ousmane Tioro (0/1) Pen: Kassoum Deme (2/3) 14', 24' Ousmane Tioro (0/1) |
RA Report WR Report Match details |
Pen: Didier Iradukunda (1/1) 72' |
9 June 2021 16:00 |
| Burundi |
3–81 | Cameroon (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Pen: Didier Iradukunda (1/4) 37' Cards: Helvé Hasabumutima  70' |
RA Report WR Report Match details |
Try: Noël Gaël Touko 10', 17' Gervais Mbassa 27', 61' Moctar Nsangou Hassan 33', 38', 70' Cédric Wembe Moteyo 40+1' Bernard Mengue 43' Moïse Chimi Tchekouo 44' Steve Gérard Nekongo 58' Josué Essome Makongo 63' Ongoudou Amougou 79' Con: Noël Gaël Touko (7/12) 11', 34', 39', 40+2', 43', 62', 79' Moïse Chimi Tchekouo (1/1) 59' Cards: Cédric Wembe Moteyo 36' Robin Yantcha 46' Bernard Mengue 73' |
13 June 2021 16:00 |
| Burkina Faso |
17–13 | Cameroon (1 BP) |
|---|---|---|
| Try: Ali Papi Traore 12' Ousmane Tioro 44' Cheick Abasse Sawadogo 61' Con: Adama Deme (1/3) 44' Pen: Adama Deme (0/1) |
RA Report WR Report Match details |
Try: Cédric Wembe Moteyo 50' Con: Noël Gaël Touko (1/1) 50' Pen: Noël Gaël Touko (2/3) 26', 70' Cards: Moctar Nsangou Hassan 21' Moïse Chimi Tchekouo 59' |
Round 2: 2021 Africa Cup
Round 2 will consist of four pools of three teams, competing from 1–18 July 2021. The top two teams in each pool will advance to Round 3.
Pool A
Originally, this pool was meant be hosted by Namibia at the Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium in Windhoek.[5] However, due to restrictions in Namibia, Rugby Africa moved the location of this pool to the Ivory Coast.[6]
| Advance to Round 3 |
| Rank | Team | Games | Points | Bonus Points |
Table Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | ||||
| 1 | Namibia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 65 | 34 | +31 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | Ivory Coast | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Madagascar | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 71 | -37 | 0 | 4 |
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win - 4 points Draw - 1 points At least 3 more tries than opponent - 1 point Loss within 7 points - 1 point Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points | ||||||||||
Pool B
All matches of Pool B will be hosted in Nairobi, Kenya.[7]
| Advance to Round 3 |
| Rank | Team | Games | Points | Bonus Points |
Table Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | ||||
| 1 | Senegal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 24 | +16 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | Kenya | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 64 | 28 | +36 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Zambia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 65 | -52 | 0 | 0 |
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win - 4 points Draw - 1 points At least 3 more tries than opponent - 1 point Loss within 7 points - 1 point Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points | ||||||||||
Pool C
All matches for Pool C will be hosted in Kampala, Uganda.[8]
| Advance to Round 3 |
| Rank | Team | Games | Points | Bonus Points |
Table Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | ||||
| 1 | Uganda | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 69 | 34 | +35 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | Algeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 38 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Ghana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 73 | -39 | 0 | 4 |
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win - 4 points Draw - 1 points At least 3 more tries than opponent - 1 point Loss within 7 points - 1 point Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points | ||||||||||
Pool D
All matches of Pool D were due to be hosted in Monastir, Tunisia,[4] however due to the escalating COVID-19 situation in Tunisia, the group was moved to Zimbabwe.[9] At the same time, Tunisia also withdrew from the competition meaning Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso would gain automatic progression to the next stage of the qualification process. A 2-game match up between the two sides will confirm seedings for the next stage.
| Advance to Round 3 |
| Rank | Team | Games | Points | Bonus Points |
Table Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | ||||
| 1 | Zimbabwe | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 196 | 8 | 188 | 2 | 10 |
| 2 | Burkina Faso | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 196 | -188 | 0 | 0 |
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win - 4 points Draw - 1 points At least 3 more tries than opponent - 1 point Loss within 7 points - 1 point Loss greater than 7 points - 0 points | ||||||||||
Round 3: 2022 Africa Cup
The 2022 Africa Cup will act as the third and final round of the African Qualification process, whereby the winner of an 8-team straight knockout competition will advance to the World Cup as Africa 1. The runner-up will advance to the Final Qualification Tournament as Africa 2. This stage will begin with 4 quarter finals, followed by semi-finals and culminating in a final, all played at the same venue.[10]
| Nation | Rank |
|---|---|
| Algeria | 90 |
| Burkina Faso | 91 |
| Ivory Coast | 40 |
| Kenya | 35 |
| Namibia | 24 |
| Senegal | 43 |
| Uganda | 51 |
| Zimbabwe | 34 |
As of 31 March 2022
On 20 September 2021, Rugby Africa confirmed that France will host the tournament,[11] and on 1 February 2022, it was confirmed that Marseille and Aix-en-Provence will be host cities.
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 1 July 2022 | ||||||||||
| Namibia | ||||||||||
| 5 July 2022 | ||||||||||
| Burkina Faso | ||||||||||
| 1 July 2022 | ||||||||||
| Zimbabwe | ||||||||||
| 10 July 2022 | ||||||||||
| Ivory Coast | ||||||||||
| 1 July 2022 | ||||||||||
| Senegal | ||||||||||
| 5 July 2022 | ||||||||||
| Algeria | ||||||||||
| 1 July 2022 | ||||||||||
| Uganda | ||||||||||
| Kenya | ||||||||||
See also
References
- "Qualifiers". World Rugby. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
- "Rugby Africa Competition Calendar 2021". Twitter. 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- "Men's Rankings". World Rugby.
- "Rugby Africa Cup Repechage: Confirmed Dates and Location". Rugby Africa. 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
- "Rugby World Cup Draw Provides 'Great Challenge'". The Namibian. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
- "LA CÔTE D'IVOIRE AFFRONTERA LA NAMIBIE ET MADAGASCAR À DOMICILE !". Ivory Coast rugby. 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
- "Zambia Pitted Against Kenya, Senegal in Africa Rugby Cup". TechWatch.news. 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
- "Préparez vous au retour des lions algériens cet été pour les qualifications à la #wc2023. Au menu les équipes nationales @UgandaRugby et @algeria_rugby". Twitter. 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
- Zimbabwe to host Rugby Africa Pool D games
- HOW TEAMS FROM AFRICA WILL QUALIFY FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023
- THE AFRICAN QUALIFIERS FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 WILL BE PLAYED IN FRANCE IN JULY 2022