2003 Rugby World Cup – European qualification

There were a number of positions open to European nations to qualify for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Ireland, Romania, Georgia and Italy, joining a number of other nations that automatically qualified.

Round 1 – 2000–2001

Three Pool Winners and top Runner-Up advanced to Round 2.

Pool A

Winner (Sweden) and Runner-Up (Latvia) advanced to Round 2.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Sweden 5500+20815
 Latvia 5401+7913
 Austria 5302+7811
 Israel 5203+519
 Luxembourg 5104−2227
 Norway 5005−1945
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
23-Sep-2000Norway – LuxembourgStavanger, Norway9–41
21-Oct-2000Austria – SwedenVienna, Austria10–42
28-Oct-2000Latvia – LuxembourgRiga, Latvia24–19
28-Oct-2000Sweden – NorwayKorsangens, Sweden44–3
11-Nov-2000Latvia – AustriaRiga, Latvia38–12
3-Mar-2001Luxembourg – IsraelLuxembourg3–62
17-Mar-2001Israel – LatviaIsrael3–21
5-May-2001Israel – NorwayIsrael43–3
5-May-2001Luxembourg – SwedenCessange, Luxembourg3–116
12-May-2001Austria – LuxembourgVienna, Austria77–0
19-May-2001Latvia – NorwayRiga, Latvia37–0
19-May-2001Sweden – IsraelVäxjö, Sweden35–20
2-Jun-2001Austria – IsraelVienna, Austria21–6
9-Jun-2001Norway – AustriaBorrebanen, Norway7–51
9-Jun-2001Sweden – LatviaKorsangens, Sweden17–10

Pool B

Winner (Switzerland) advanced to Round 2.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
  Switzerland 5401+16613
 FR Yugoslavia 5302+4511
 Andorra 5302+4311
 Hungary 5203−99
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5203−589
 Bulgaria 5104−1877
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
30-Sep-2000Bosnia and Herzegovina – HungaryZenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina13–12
07-Oct-2000Switzerland – Bosnia and HerzegovinaGeneva, Switzerland43–6
14-Oct-2000Bulgaria – SwitzerlandPernik, Bulgaria9–90
14-Oct-2000Andorra – YugoslaviaAndorra la Vella, Andorra12–9
28-Oct-2000Hungary – AndorraSzázhalombatta, Hungary27–21
5-Nov-2000Yugoslavia – BulgariaDimitrovgrad, Yugoslavia46–6
31-Mar-2001Yugoslavia – HungaryDimitrovgrad, Yugoslavia25–10
05-May-2001Switzerland – AndorraLausanne, Switzerland38–25
05-May-2001Bulgaria – Bosnia and Herzegovina?30–8
12-May-2001Andorra – BulgariaAndorra la Vella, Andorra59–10
12-May-2001Switzerland – HungaryBasel, Switzerland61–23
12-May-2001Bosnia and Herzegovina – Yugoslavia?23–13
25-May-2001Yugoslavia – SwitzerlandGornji, Yugoslavia13–10
25-May-2001Andorra – Bosnia and HerzegovinaAndorra la Vella, Andorra23–13
25-May-2001Hungary – Bulgaria?46–7

Pool C

Winner (Belgium) advanced to Round 2.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Belgium 5500+7115
 Slovenia 5311+4612
 Moldova 5302+2511
 Lithuania 5212+3810
 Monaco 5104−307
 Malta 5005−1505
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
28-Oct-2000Monaco – MoldovaMenton, France15–17
28-Oct-2000Belgium – SloveniaHeysel, Belgium24–10
18-Nov-2000Slovenia – LithuaniaLjubljana, Slovenia19–19
18-Nov-2000Moldova – MaltaBender, Moldova58–8
25-Nov-2000Malta – BelgiumThree Cities, Malta0–26
2-Dec-2000Monaco – SloveniaMenton, France8–13
20-Jan-2001Malta – MonacoThree Cities, Malta3–9
3-Mar-2001Monaco – BelgiumSaint-Laurent-du-Var, France12–18
7-Apr-2001Belgium – MoldovaBrussels, Belgium26–10
21-Apr −2001Malta – LithuaniaThree Cities, Malta11–39
28-Apr −2001Slovenia – MoldovaLjubljana, Slovenia30–15
5-May-2001Belgium – LithuaniaLaakdal, Belgium29–20
12-May-2001Slovenia – MaltaLjubljana, Slovenia45–5
12-May-2001Lithuania – MonacoVilnius, Lithuania33–10
2-Jun-2001Moldova – LithuaniaChişinău, Moldova20–16

Round 2 – 2001–2002

Pool Winners advanced to Round 3.

Pool A

Winner (Poland)advanced to Round 3.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Poland 4400+6912
 Germany 4202+248
 Sweden 4202+238
 Denmark 4202+198
 Latvia 4004−1354
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
22-Sep-2001Latvia – PolandRiga, Latvia18–60
29-Sep −2001Poland – SwedenGdańsk, Poland18–6
7-Oct-2001Sweden – LatviaTrelleborg, Sweden37–12
20-Oct −2001Sweden – GermanyMalmö, Sweden32–10
27-Oct-2001Denmark – SwedenFrederiksberg, Denmark33–21
3-Nov −2001Denmark – PolandCopenhagen, Denmark19–26
10-Nov-2001Germany – DenmarkHeidelberg, Germany34–24
24-Nov-2001Germany – LatviaHanover, Germany44–0
6-April-2002Poland – GermanyGdynia, Poland20–12
6-April −2002Latvia – DenmarkRiga, Latvia8–32

Pool B

Winner (Czech Republic) advanced to Round 3.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Czech Republic 4400+9512
 Ukraine 4301+4610
 Croatia 4202−148
  Switzerland 4103−406
 Belgium 4004−874
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
22-Sep-2001Czech Republic – BelgiumPrague, Czech Republic46–3
6-Oct-2001Switzerland – Czech RepublicLausanne, Switzerland6–32
13-Oct −2001Croatia – Czech RepublicMakarska, Croatia5–13
13-Oct −2001Ukraine – BelgiumKyiv, Ukraine21–10
20-Oct −2001Ukraine – CroatiaKyiv, Ukraine41–7
27-Oct −2001Belgium – SwitzerlandBrussels, Belgium15–22
3-Nov-2001Czech Republic – UkrainePrague, Czech Republic26–8
10-Nov −2001Croatia – SwitzerlandMakarska, Croatia18–16
24-Nov −2001Belgium – CroatiaBrussels, Belgium0–26
24-Nov −2001Switzerland – UkraineHermance, Switzerland11–30

Round 3 – May–June, 2002

Pool Winners advanced to Round 4.

Pool A

Winner (Spain) advanced to Round 4.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Spain 2101+14
 Portugal 210104
 Poland 2101−14
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
04-May-2002Poland – SpainWarsaw (Poland)27–15
18-May-2002Portugal – PolandJamor (Portugal)39–26
2-June-2002Spain – PortugalMadrid (Spain)34–21

Pool B

Winner (Russia) advanced to Round 4.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Russia 2200+816
 Czech Republic 2101+234
 Netherlands 2002−1042
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
05-May-2002Czech Republic – RussiaPrague (Czech Republic)18–37
21-May-2002Netherlands – Czech RepublicAmsterdam (Netherlands)12–54
1-June-2002Russia – NetherlandsMonino (Russia)65–3

Round 4 – September–October, 2002

Pool Winners and Runners-Up qualified to 2003 Rugby World Cup. 3rd-Place advanced to Round 5.

Pool A

Italy qualified as Europe 2 to Pool D, Romania as Europe 3 to Pool A. Spain advanced to Round 5.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Italy 2200+556
 Romania 2101+534
 Spain 2002−1082
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
22-Sep-2002Spain – ItalyValladolid (Spain)3–50
28-Sep-2002Italy – RomaniaParma (Italy)25–17
05-Oct-2002Romania – SpainIaşi (Romania)67–6

Pool B

Ireland qualified as Europe 1 to Pool D, Georgia as Europe 4 to Pool C. Russia advanced to Round 5.

Final Standings
CountryGPWDL+/-Pts
 Ireland 2200+816
 Georgia 2101−454
 Russia 2002−362
Match Schedule
DateMatchVenueResult
21-Sep-2002Russia – IrelandKrasnoyarsk (Russia)3–35
28-Sep-2002Ireland – GeorgiaDublin (Ireland)63–14
13-Oct-2002Georgia – RussiaTbilisi (Georgia)17–13

Round 5 – October–November, 2002

Spain advanced to Repechage as Europe 5 to play Africa 2.

Match Schedule

DateMatch VenueResult
27-October-2002 Spain – Russia Madrid, Spain3–36
24-November-2002 Russia – Spain Krasnodar, Russia22–38

Russia won 58–41 on aggregate. However, after it was determined they used ineligible South African players, they were ejected from the competition and Spain advanced to Repechage.[1]

References
  1. Russia frozen out of World Cup over illegal South Africans Archived 16 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
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