2019 Rugby World Cup

2019 Rugby World Cup

2019 Ragubī Wārudo Kappu (2019 ラグビーワールドカップ)
Tournament details
Host nation	Japan
Dates	20 September – 2 November
No. of nations	20
← 2015 2023 →

The 2019 Rugby World Cup will be the ninth Rugby World Cup, to be held in Japan from 20 September to 2 November. This will be the first time the tournament is to be held in Asia, the first time consecutive tournaments have been staged in the same hemisphere, and also the first time that the event will take place outside the traditional heartland of the sport.

Hong Kong and Singapore had expressed interest in hosting some of the matches and were included as part of the JRFU's successful original hosting bid to World Rugby (known at the time of bidding as the International Rugby Board, or IRB) but were not amongst the fourteen locations announced by organisers Japan 2019 on 5 November 2014 that had formally bid for the right to host games.^[1]

The opening match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup will take place at Tokyo Stadium in Chōfu, and the final match will be held at International Stadium Yokohama in Kanagawa. These venue assignments were announced in September 2015 when plans for the tournament were revised by Japan's organizing committee and accepted by World Rugby.^[2] The National Olympic Stadium, being rebuilt for the 2020 Summer Olympics, was originally the centerpiece of Japan's Rugby World Cup bid, but revisions to the Olympic Stadium plans mandated the World Cup venue changes.

Bid

The IRB requested that any member unions wishing to host the 2019 or 2015 Rugby World Cup should indicate their interest by 15 August 2008. This would be purely to indicate interest; no details had to be provided at this stage. A record ten unions indicated interest in hosting either the 2015 and/or the 2019 events. The 2019 tournament received interest from nine different nations.

Jamaica were the most surprising union to announce an interest in hosting the event, considering they had never participated in a previous World Cup, though they quickly withdrew. Russia also initially announced plans to bid for both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, but withdrew both bids in February 2009 in favour of what proved to be a successful bid^[3] for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.^[4] Australia withdrew from the bidding process on 6 May 2009.^[5]

The three potential hosts –Italy, Japan and South Africa– were announced on 8 May 2009.^[6] At a special meeting held in Dublin on 28 July 2009, the International Rugby Board (IRB) confirmed that England would host the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and Japan would host the 2019 event. The IRB voted 16–10 in favour of approving the recommendation from Rugby World Cup Ltd (RWCL) that England and Japan should be named hosts.

Venues

Ren-G, mascots for Rugby World Cup 2019

The IRB, RWC Ltd, JRFU and host organisers Japan 2019 went through the process of asking for expressions of interest, and meeting with and explaining game hosting requirements to interested parties from late 2013. In May it was announced that twenty-two municipal and/or prefectural organisations had expressed interest from throughout Japan. Interested organisations were asked to enter a formal bid by 31 October 2014. At a press conference on 5 November in Tokyo, organisers Japan 2019 announced that bids from fourteen localities had been received. Secretary-General of the organising committee, Mr. Akira Shimazu advised that amongst the twenty-two interested parties, Yokohama (Yokohama International Stadium, venue for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final), and Niigata's Denka Big Swan Stadium, which was also a 2002 FIFA World Cup venue had decided not to bid. Shimazu added that the decision of Yokohama not to bid meant that it was virtually a fore-gone conclusion that the new National Stadium in Tokyo would host both the semi-finals, and the third-place playoff in addition to the opening game and final.

There have been a number of changes to the venues submitted in the JRFU's original bid in 2009. Gone are venues in Hong Kong and Singapore. All games will be in Japan. The JRFU's own Chichibunomiya Stadium in Tokyo which might have been expected to host smaller interest games in the capital is missing. Also the JRFU plumped for the larger, and more modern 50,000 seat Nagai multi-purpose stadium as its preferred venue for games in Osaka in 2009 but the Osaka Municipality and East Osaka City governments have submitted the Hanazono Rugby Stadium which they are planning to refurbish as the Osaka venue option. East Osaka City will take over the stadium from long-time corporate owners Kintetsu in April 2015. Kamaishi, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Oita, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto are all venues that weren't part of the JRFU's bid. While the bids include venues from a broad area of Japan, two parts won't be involved in hosting. Firstly the Hokushin'etsu area (Hokuriku region and Koshin'etsu region), which includes the city of Niigata, and secondly the Chugoku Region, including Hiroshima, and nearby Shikoku Island. No city in the latter region were venues for games in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but Hiroshima did host games in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

On 17 July 2015, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that plans to build the new National Stadium would be scrapped and rebid on amid public discontent over the stadium's building costs. As a result, the new stadium would not be ready until the 2020 Summer Olympics.^[7] World Rugby released a statement saying that they were extremely disappointed by the announcement "despite repeated assurances to contrary from the Japan Rugby 2019 Organising Committee and Japan Sports Council," and would "need to consider the options relating to the impact of (the) announcement."^[8]

In September 2015, World Rugby approved the Japan Rugby 2019 organizing committee's revised roadmap for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which sought to resolve the venue inadequacies caused by the floundering development of the National Stadium. It was agreed that the originally proposed National Stadium fixtures will be borne by the Ajinomoto Stadium in Chōfu (a suburb of Tokyo), which will host the opening ceremony and opening match, and the Yokohama Stadium, which will host the final. The complete revised list of Rugby World Cup 2019 venues is:^[2]

Chōfu	Yokohama	Fukuroi	Higashiosaka
Tokyo Stadium	International Stadium Yokohama	Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa	Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Capacity: 49,970	Capacity: 72,327	Capacity: 50,889	Capacity: 30,000
Fukuoka	Egao Kenkō Stadium Ōita Bank Dome Level-5 Stadium Ajinomoto Stadium Stadium Yokohama Shizuoka Stadium Hanazono Rugby Stadium Toyota Stadium Sapporo Dome Noevir Stadium Kobe Kumagaya Rugby Ground Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium Location of the 12 stadia to host rugby matches at the 2019 World Rugby World Cup announced on 28 September 2015		Toyota
Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium			City of Toyota Stadium
Capacity: 22,563			Capacity: 45,000
Sapporo			Ōita
Sapporo Dome			Oita Stadium
Capacity: 41,410			Capacity: 40,000
Kumamoto	Kobe	Kumagaya	Kamaishi
Kumamoto Stadium	Kobe Misaki Stadium	Kumagaya Rugby Stadium	Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium
Capacity: 32,000	Capacity: 30,132	Capacity: 24,000	Capacity: 16,187

Qualifying

Qualification illustrated

  Qualified

  May qualify

  Failed to qualify

  Expelled

  Did not enter qualification or is not a full member of World Rugby

Nineteen teams have currently secured their place in the 2019 tournament. They are the top three teams in each of the four pools at the 2015 Rugby World Cup who thereby automatically qualify for the next tournament. Japan finished third in Pool B during the 2015 Rugby World Cup and so finished in a qualifying position — however, by virtue of hosting the tournament, Japan were assured qualification for the tournament before the 2015 Rugby World Cup took place. The remaining eight spaces are decided by regional slots and cross regional play-offs. The final place will be decided by a repechage tournament in Marseilles, France in November 2018; participants are Canada, Germany, Hong Kong and Kenya.

The below table shows the qualified teams with their World Rankings as of first tournament date (20 September 2019):

Qualified Teams
Region	Team	Qualification method	Previous appearances	Previous best result	World Ranking
Africa	South Africa	Automatic	6	Champions (1995, 2007)	–
	Namibia	Africa 1	5	Pool stage	–
Americas North	United States	Americas 1	7	Pool stage	–
Asia	Japan	Hosts	8	Pool stage	–
Europe	England	Automatic	8	Champions (2003)	–
	France	Automatic	8	Runners-up (1987, 1999, 2011)	–
	Georgia	Automatic	4	Pool stage	–
	Ireland	Automatic	8	Quarter-finals (1987, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2011, 2015)	–
	Italy	Automatic	8	Pool stage	–
	Russia	Europe 1	1	Pool stage	–
	Scotland	Automatic	8	Fourth place (1991)	–
	Wales	Automatic	8	Third place (1987)	–
Oceania	Australia	Automatic	8	Champions (1991, 1999)	–
	Fiji	Oceania 1	7	Quarter-finals (1987, 2007)	–
	New Zealand	Automatic	8	Champions (1987, 2011, 2015)	–
	Samoa	Play-off winner	7	Quarter-finals (1991, 1995)	–
	Tonga	Oceania 2	7	Pool stage	–
Sudamérica	Argentina	Automatic	8	Third place (2007)	–
	Uruguay	Americas 2	3	Pool stage	–
Any	TBD	Repechage			–

Draw

The pool draw took place^[9] on 10 May 2017 in Kyoto.^[10] The draw was moved from its traditional place of December in the year following the previous World Cup, after the November internationals, so that nations had a longer period of time to increase their World Rankings ahead of the draw.^[11]

The seeding system from previous Rugby World Cup's was retained with the 12 automatic qualifiers from 2015 being allocated to their respective bands based on their World Rugby Rankings on the day of the draw:

• Band 1: The four highest-ranked teams
• Band 2: The next four highest-ranked teams
• Band 3: The final four directly qualified teams

The remaining two bands were made up of the eight qualifying teams, with allocation to each band being based on the previous Rugby World Cup playing strength:

• Band 4: – Oceania 1, Americas 1, Europe 1, Africa 1
• Band 5: – Oceania 2, Americas 2, Play-off Winner, Repechage Winner

This meant the 20 teams, qualified and qualifiers, were seeded thus (World Ranking as of 10 May 2017):

The draw saw a representative randomly draw a ball from a pot, the first drawn ball goes to Pool A, the second Pool B, the third Pool C and the fourth Pool D. The draw began with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe draw the pool of which hosts Japan were allocated to. The draw continued on to Band 5, drawn by Japanese Olympian Saori Yoshida, followed by Band 4, drawn by former Japanese rugby international Yoshihiro Sakata, then Band 3, drawn by All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen with the first team being drawn being allocated to Pool B, Band 2, drawn by Mayor of Yokohama Fumiko Hayashi and finally Band 1, drawn by World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.

Pool stage

In the first round, or pool stage, the twenty teams are divided into four pools of five teams. Each pool will be a single round-robin of ten games, in which each team plays one match against each of the other teams in the same pool. Teams are awarded four league points for a win, two for a draw and none for a defeat by eight or more points. A team scoring four tries in one match is awarded a bonus point, as is a team that loses by fewer than eight points – both bonus points are awarded if both situations apply.^[12]

The teams finishing in the top two of each pool advance to the quarter-finals. The top three teams of each pool received automatic qualification to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Tie-breaking criteria

If two or more teams are tied on match points, the following tiebreakers apply:

1. The winner of the match between the two teams
2. Difference between points scored for and points scored against in all pool matches
3. Difference between tries scored for and tries scored against in all pool matches
4. Points scored in all pool matches
5. Most tries scored in all pool matches
6. Official World Rugby Rankings as of 14 October 2019

If three teams were tied on points, the above criteria would be used to decide first place in the Pool, and then the criteria would be used again (starting from criteria 1) to decide second place in the Pool.

Pld = Number of games played; W = Number of games won; D = Number of games drawn; L = Number of games lost; TF = Number of tries scored (Tries For); PF = Number of points scored in the game (Points For); PA = Number of points scored against the team (Points Against); +/– = The difference, PF – PA; BP = Bonus (pool) points ; Pts = Total number of (pool) points.

Pool A

Main article: 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A

Team	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
Ireland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Scotland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Russia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Samoa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0

20 September 2019	Japan	v	Russia	Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
22 September 2019	Ireland	v	Scotland	International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
24 September 2019	Russia	v	Samoa	Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya
28 September 2019	Japan	v	Ireland	Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
30 September 2019	Scotland	v	Samoa	Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
3 October 2019	Ireland	v	Russia	Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
5 October 2019	Japan	v	Samoa	City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
9 October 2019	Scotland	v	Russia	Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
12 October 2019	Ireland	v	Samoa	Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka
13 October 2019	Japan	v	Scotland	International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama

Pool B

Main article: 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool B

Team	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
New Zealand	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
South Africa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Namibia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Repechage Winner	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0

21 September 2019	New Zealand	v	South Africa	International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
22 September 2019	Italy	v	Namibia	Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
26 September 2019	Italy	v	Repechage Winner	Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka
28 September 2019	South Africa	v	Namibia	City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
2 October 2019	New Zealand	v	Repechage Winner	Oita Stadium, Ōita
4 October 2019	South Africa	v	Italy	Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
6 October 2019	New Zealand	v	Namibia	Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
8 October 2019	South Africa	v	Repechage Winner	Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
12 October 2019	New Zealand	v	Italy	City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
13 October 2019	Namibia	v	Repechage Winner	Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium, Kamaishi

Pool C

Main article: 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool C

Team	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
England	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Argentina	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
United States	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Tonga	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0

21 September 2019	France	v	Argentina	Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
22 September 2019	England	v	Tonga	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo
26 September 2019	England	v	United States	Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe
28 September 2019	Argentina	v	Tonga	Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
2 October 2019	France	v	United States	Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka
5 October 2019	England	v	Argentina	Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
6 October 2019	France	v	Tonga	Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto
9 October 2019	Argentina	v	United States	Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya
12 October 2019	England	v	France	International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
13 October 2019	United States	v	Tonga	Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka

Pool D

Main article: 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool D

Team	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Wales	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Georgia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Fiji	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0
Uruguay	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	0

21 September 2019	Australia	v	Fiji	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo
23 September 2019	Wales	v	Georgia	City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
25 September 2019	Fiji	v	Uruguay	Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium, Kamaishi
29 September 2019	Georgia	v	Uruguay	Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya
29 September 2019	Australia	v	Wales	Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
3 October 2019	Georgia	v	Fiji	Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiosaka
5 October 2019	Australia	v	Uruguay	Oita Stadium, Ōita
9 October 2019	Wales	v	Fiji	Oita Stadium, Ōita
11 October 2019	Australia	v	Georgia	Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
13 October 2019	Wales	v	Uruguay	Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto

Knockout stage

Sponsors

Broadcasting

• France – TF1^[13]
• Republic of Ireland – eirSport^[14]
• Japan – IGBS ( Nippon TV, NHK and J SPORTS )^[15]
• New Zealand - Spark New Zealand^[16]
• United Kingdom – ITV^[17]
• United States – NBCUniversal (NBC Sports)^[18]

References

External links

• World Rugby official site