RWC 2023 Pools Announced – Canada Now Has Plan A, B or C to Make the Tournament
Canada has never missed qualifying for a Rugby World Cup, they just squeezed into the last one in Japan when they went to the repechage and found two top European sides had been disqualified due to player ineligibility. Germany had suddenly found themselves the top European side (Europe 3) in the repechage so Canada just had to dispatch Germany, Kenya and Hong Kong to make the World Cup. They were fortunate, that was Plan C. Canada has always gone Plan A before that.
Plan A is beat the USA and qualify as Americas 1. Except now they’ve changed the rules, so Plan A is defeat the USA and then defeat the South America champion, likely Uruguay (Argentina already qualifies).
Plan B comes into play if they lose to USA. Then it’s defeat South America 2, likely Brazil, and then defeat Uruguay (assuming Uruguay lose to USA).
Plan C is invoked, as last World Cup, if they lose to USA and Uruguay. Then it’s the repechage, and this time teams like Portugal, Spain, Russia, Romania will be in the mix. Europe 1 will likely go to Georgia (12), Europe 2 will be interesting with Spain (17), Romania (19), Portugal (20), Russia (21) closely bunched together. Europe 3 will go to the repechage.
It’s difficult to know what Canada will bring to the table post COVID, they haven’t played since the World Cup. The first look will be the summer tests in 2021.
from Canadian Press – Neil Davidson
Canada got a look Monday at what awaits at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and its a case of pick your poison.
The 23rd-ranked Canadian men will face either New Zealand or England in group play if they secure one of the two direct qualifying spots from the Americas for the 20-team showcase.
At Mondays draw in Paris, Americas 1 was placed in Group A with third-ranked New Zealand, No. 4 France, No. 14 Italy and Africa 1 (which was Namibia at the 2019 tournament).
Americas 2 will play in Group D alongside No. 2 England, No. 8 Argentina, No. 10 Japan and Oceania 1 (No. 13 Tonga or No. 15 Samoa).
Group B, the only pool Canada could not land in, features defending champion and top-ranked South Africa, No. 5 Ireland, No. 7 Scotland (7), Asia/Pacific 1 and Europe 2.
Group C consists of No. 6 Australia, No. 9 Wales, No. 11 Fiji, Europe 1 and the winner of the final qualification tournament. Canada, which won the last-chance repechage last time out, could also end up in this group.
I think theyre all looking pretty tough, arent they, Canada coach Kingsley Jones said of the groups.
Jones has to consider both the skill and physicality of the opposition, given the sometimes short turnaround at the World Cup.
Group A is similar to Canadas pool at the 2019 tournament in Japan with mercurial France replacing the powerful Springboks. The Canadian men (0-3-0) finished last in the pool (on point difference) behind tough opposition in New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Namibia. Canadas final match against Namibia was called off due to Typhoon Hagibis.
The 2023 World Cup is scheduled to run Sept. 8 to Oct. 21 in nine stadiums.
Twelve teams have already qualified, by virtue of finishing in the top three of their pools at the 2019 tournament: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Australia, Japan, Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy.
Eight more countries will join them via regional qualifiers, including the Americas.
Qualifying for 2023 has seen various permutations in the region. Canadian officials had been led to believe it would involve results in the Americas Rugby Championship which involves Canada, the U.S, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and an Argentina reserve side over the next two years.
But the most recent Americas qualifying road map tweaks the traditional format.
Canada will face the 16th-ranked Americans home and away with the winner facing a South American tournament victor, likely No. 18 Uruguay, in the two-legged Americas 1 Playoff to determine who goes to the World Cup as Americas 1.
The Canada-U.S. loser will face a South American tournament runner-up, likely No. 26 Brazil or No. 29 Chile, in the Americas 2 Qualifier with the winner advancing to the Americas 2 Playoff against the Americas 1 Playoff loser. The winner of that series moves on as Americas 2 while the loser goes the final qualification tournament.
Jones hopes that process can start in the fall of 2021, allowing the teams that qualify more time to prepare for the World Cup.
The 12 teams already qualified were seeded for the draw based on World Rugbys rankings as of Jan. 1, 2020 in deference to the COVID-caused havoc on the international schedule and placed in the first three four-country pots. Americas 1 was in pot 4 and Americas 2 in pot 5.
World Rugby has said in the future, seedings used for the draw will come much closer to the tournament itself.
Due to the pandemic, the Canadians have not played since their final outing at the 2019 World Cup a 66-7 loss to South Africa on Oct. 8.
In the past, Americas qualifying has pitted Canada against the U.S. with the winner securing a World Cup berth and the loser facing a South American team for the second direct berth. The loser of that match has previously had a third shot via a last-chance repechage tournament.
Before the 2019 event, Canada had always secured its Americas berth at the first stage of qualifying.
But last time out, the Canadians lost qualifying series to the U.S. and Uruguay before winning the repechage tournament that also featured Germany, Hong Kong and Kenya.
The loss to the Americans cost Mark Anscombe his job as Canada coach in August 2017, with Jones taking over.
Mondays draw was held in a largely empty Palais Brongniart, with French president Emmanuel Macron, wearing a mask, delivered welcoming words while physically distanced from the draw host.
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont delivered his message remotely.
Rugby World Cup 2023 will be great for rugby, but not only for rugby. In a world of change and uncertainty accelerated by the global pandemic, its important that major events are not just a celebration of sporting performance but a symbol of unity, diversity and change, said Beaumont.
It will be the best of rugby, and the best of France, he added.
The Canadian men have made every World Cup field since the tournament debuted in 1987. But the team has only got out of the preliminary round once, in 1991 when it lost 29-13 to New Zealand in the quarterfinals.
2023 Rugby World Cup draw (with current world rankings)
Group A: New Zealand (3), France (4), Italy (14), America 1, Africa 1.
Group B: South Africa (1), Ireland (5), Scotland (7), Asia/Pacific 1 and Europe 2.
Group C: Wales (9), Australia (6), Fiji (11), Europe 1, winner of the final qualification tournament.
Group D: England (2), Japan (10), Argentina (8), Oceania 1, America 2.