2007 Rugby World Cup – Asia qualification

In qualification for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, thirteen Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) nations compete for one full place, and one repechage place (Repechage 2, against Oceania 3). No Asian teams qualified for the quarter-finals in 2003, so none qualify automatically in 2007. Only Japan has been to the World Cup, participating in all five RWCs to date, with only one win in 1991 (England) against Zimbabwe, 52–8. Asia 1 will go into Group B with Australia, Wales, Fiji and Canada.

Format

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The qualification structure was as follows:

  • First round: 13 teams (divided into three divisions) played home-and-away in a round-robin style pool stage. The two highest-ranked teams in division one advance to the second round in the first division. Two teams from division two advance to the second round, and one team from division three advances to the second round via a play-off.
  • Second round: 6 teams (divided into two divisions) were divided into three-team pools. Each team played home-and-away round-robin matches. The two highest-placed teams in division one advanced to the final round (three), while the best-placed team in division two would be the sole team advancing to the final round from their pool.
  • Third round: 3 teams played a home-and-away round-robin match against one of each team. The pool winner qualified to the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The runner-up advanced to the repechage qualification phase.

First round

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Division one

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Japan 2 2 0 0 141 34 +107 4 Advance to second round, division one
2   South Korea 2 1 0 1 87 53 +34 2
3   Hong Kong 2 0 0 2 6 147 −141 0 Advance to second round, division two
Source: [citation needed]
7 May 2005
Japan  91–3  Hong Kong
Tokyo
15 May 2005
South Korea  31–50  Japan
Seoul
22 May 2005
Hong Kong  3–56  South Korea
Hong Kong

Division two

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Arabian Gulf 2 2 0 0 54 48 +6 4 Advance to second round, division one
2   China 2 1 0 1 44 43 +1 2 Advance to second round, division two
3   Chinese Taipei 2 0 0 2 45 52 −7 0
Source: [citation needed]
30 April 2005
China  22–19  Chinese Taipei
Kunming
20 May 2005
Arabian Gulf  30–26  Chinese Taipei
Manama
11 November 2005
Arabian Gulf  24–22  China
Dubai

Division three

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Pool A

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0 82 55 +27 4 Advance to play-off
2   Singapore 2 1 0 1 64 61 +3 2
3   Thailand 2 0 0 2 65 95 −30 0
Source: [citation needed]
4 June 2005
Thailand  38–48  Sri Lanka
Bangkok
11 June 2005
Singapore  47–27  Thailand
Singapore
25 June 2005
Sri Lanka  34–17  Singapore
Colombo

Pool B

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Kazakhstan 3 3 0 0 135 31 +104 6 Advance to play-off
2   India 3 1 1 1 78 56 +22 3
3   Malaysia 3 1 0 2 60 111 −51 2
4   Guam 3 0 1 2 29 104 −75 1
Source: [citation needed]
4 June 2005
India  22–36  Kazakhstan
Mumbai
8 June 2005
Kazakhstan  48–3  Malaysia
Mumbai

11 June 2005
India  48–12  Malaysia
Mumbai
18 June 2005
Guam  8–8  India
Guam

22 June 2005
Kazakhstan  51–6  Guam
Alma Ata
26 June 2005
Malaysia  45–15  Guam
Kuala Lumpur

Division three play-off

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Sri Lanka 2 1 0 1 43 37 +6 2 Advance to second round, division two
2   Kazakhstan 2 1 0 1 37 43 −6 2
Source: [citation needed]
25 October 2005
Kazakhstan  25–19  Sri Lanka
Almaty

12 November 2005
Sri Lanka  24–12  Kazakhstan
Colombo

Second round

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Division one

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Japan 2 2 0 0 132 23 +109 4 Advance to the third round
2   South Korea 2 1 0 1 34 55 −21 2
3   Arabian Gulf 2 0 0 2 14 102 −88 0
Source: [citation needed]
16 April 2006
Japan  82–9  Arabian Gulf
Report
Tokyo
23 April 2006
Japan  50–14  South Korea
Report
Tokyo
5 May 2006
Arabian Gulf  5–20  South Korea
Report
Dubai

Division two

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Hong Kong 2 2 0 0 65 21 +44 4 Advance to the third round
2   Sri Lanka 2 1 0 1 44 42 +2 2
3   China 2 0 0 2 7 53 −46 0
Source: [citation needed]
29 April 2006
Sri Lanka  30–0  China
Colombo
14 May 2006
Hong Kong  42–14  Sri Lanka
Hong Kong
21 May 2006
China  7–23  Hong Kong
Shenyang

Third round

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Japan 2 2 0 0 106 3 +103 4 2007 Rugby World Cup
2   South Korea 2 1 0 1 23 59 −36 2 Repechage
3   Hong Kong (H) 2 0 0 2 8 75 −67 0
Source: [citation needed]
(H) Hosts
18 November 2006
Japan  52–3  Hong Kong
Hong Kong
21 November 2006
Hong Kong  5–23  South Korea
Hong Kong
25 November 2006
South Korea  0–54  Japan
Hong Kong

References

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