2010 Women's Rugby World Cup qualifying

The qualification process for the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup began on 6 February 2009. A total of 12 teams qualified for the tournament, which was held in England between 20 August – 5 September 2010.

2010 Rugby World Cup qualifying
Tournament details
Dates2006 – 2010
No. of nations18
2014

Qualification process

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When the winning bid to host the World Cup was announced in September 2008, Bernard Lapasset (Rugby World Cup Limited Board Chairman) promised that:

"These two tournaments [the Sevens and XVs World Cups], in conjunction with a global qualification process and existing tournament structures, will guarantee an unprecedented level of elite Women's competition for around 90 Unions over the next two years. This expanded competition pathway underpinned by the Women's Strategic Plan point to what promises to be the most competitive Women's Rugby World Cup ever in 2010".[1][2]

However, when details of the qualification process were released in March 2009 it was revealed that most IRB members would not be given an opportunity to compete for a place. Qualification tournaments took place in two regions – Europe and Asia – while in Oceania two nations played off in a single game for one place. Elsewhere the IRB nominated the "qualifying" nation, all other nations in these regions were excluded. Even where qualification tournaments took place the majority of rugby playing countries did not take part.

No official explanation was given by the IRB, but at the time of the Oceania qualifier it was reported that the non-participation of some nations – including Fiji and Papua New Guinea – was due to financial difficulties.

Regional Qualification

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Region Automatic qualifiers Teams in qualifying process Qualifying

places

Qualified teams World Cup pools
Africa 1 0 0   South Africa (AQ) A
Americas 2 0 0   Canada (AQ)
  United States (AQ)
C
B
Asia 0 4 1   Kazakhstan B
Europe 2 12 4   England (AQ)
  France (AQ)
  Wales
  Ireland
  Scotland
  Sweden
B
C
A
B
C
C
Oceania 1 2 1   Australia
  New Zealand (AQ)
A
A
TOTAL 6 18 6 - -

European Qualification

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England and France qualified directly as runner-up and third place in the WRWC 2006. Wales and Ireland qualified for the Tournament as second and third in the 2009 RBS 6 Nations. Scotland and Sweden, qualify as top two teams from the 2009 FIRA-AER Women's European Trophy, held in Sweden from 17 to 23 May 2009. This competition was made up of the 5th and 6th placed six nations teams (Scotland and Italy) as well as Spain, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Germany and Belgium

Americas Qualification

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The United States and Canada qualified directly.

African Qualification

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South Africa qualified directly

Asian Qualification

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Kazakhstan won the ARFU Women's XV Tournament, defeating Japan in the final, to qualify as the Asia representative

Semi-finals

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4 November 2009
Singapore  11–35  Japan
Republic Polytechnic, Singapore
4 November 2009
Hong Kong  14–58  Kazakhstan
Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Third place final

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6 November 2009
Singapore  3–16  Hong Kong
Padang, Singapore

Final

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6 November 2009
Japan  5–43  Kazakhstan
Padang, Singapore

Oceanic Qualification

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New Zealand qualified directly as winner of the WRWC 2006. Australia beat Samoa in a one-off match to determine the second FORU representative at the WRWC 2010. A four team tournament had been planned with Fiji as the proposed host, but Fiji declined invitations to host or enter the tournament, citing the size of the entry fee (A$36,000),[3] though the women's association president, Adi Vela Naucukidi, complained that the Fiji RFU had taken the decision without consulting them, or giving them an opportunity to raise the money. Shortly afterwards Papua New Guinea also withdrew for financial reasons

8 August 2009
Samoa  0–87  Australia
Samoa

References

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  1. ^ England to host Women's RWC 2010 Archived 19 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine International Rugby Board, 23 September 2008
  2. ^ "England To Host 2010 Women's World Cup". Irish Rugby. 24 September 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  3. ^ [1][dead link]