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Sport

Georgia could play Wales in Rugby World Cup after Russia ban

By NationCymru
A display board for Wales' game against Georgia at the 2019 World Cup. Author 江戸村のとくぞう (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Georgia could play Wales in next year's Rugby World Cup after Russia was banned from the tournament due to their invasion of Ukraine.

Organisers announced today that Georgia had automatically qualified for the tournament after Russia's remaining three matches in the Rugby Europe Championship were abandoned by the Rugby World Cup board.

But Georgia will have to wait to find out whether it has qualified for the World Cup in France next year as Europe 1, which would put it in a pool with Australia, Wales and Fiji, or Europe 2 with South Africa and Ireland.

If they face Wales, the group could be practically identical - apart from Uruguay - to that Wales faced in 2019.

Georgia, the Netherlands and Portugal were awarded four points each in the competition that doubles as World Cup qualifying. Georga led the completion unbeaten with two games left to play.

Third-placed Portugal was 10 points behind Georgia with one game left, and they, Spain, and Romania remain in contention for the second qualifying spot.

Georgia has qualified for every Rugby World Cup since 2003 but has not yet advanced beyond the pool stage.

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2 comments

Rob

The fact that our group will be almost identical with 2019 shows exactly what is wrong with World Rugby. This will be the 5th straight time we are drawn against Fiji, the 3rd time we are drawn against Australia, the second time in just 14 years its being held in France. Furthermore the draw for this tournament did not need to happen taken until the end of this year, and not 3 years in advance in 2020. All this talk of 'planning and preparation' is ludicrous when FIFA hold their draw just 6/7 months before their world cup. It makes a mockery of the tournament & the image of rugby. As much as I want Wales to win the world cup we don't deserve a top seed. They haven't learnt the lessons of 2015 where Wales, England and Australia were all in one pool. The sport of rugby needs to reach out globally, bring promotion and relegation into the Six Nations, and the Rugby Championship. Invest in new international tournaments. Instead the sport is being run by a bunch of amateur dinosaurs only looking out for their own interests

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Kerry Davies

Promotion and relegation would mean Italy and Georgia yo-yoing up and down and as Italy are co-owners of the 6N you face immediate problems. You could see a situation where Georgia are playing in the 6N and their share of TV rights is going to Italy. It would be lovely for the Islanders to take a bigger part in SH championships but who is going to pay for the facilities both sporting and medical that would make that possible? I am all for change but it has to be at least remotely feasible.

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Replying to Rob Cancel

The fact that our group will be almost identical with 2019 shows exactly what is wrong with World Rugby. This will be the 5th straight time we are drawn against Fiji, the 3rd time we are drawn against Australia, the second time in just 14 y...

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