# 2023 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification

The European qualification tournament for the 2023 Rugby World Cup was contested between March 2021 and March 2022. Six teams not already qualified via their performance at the 2019 Rugby World Cup competed for two direct qualification spots in the final tournament and for a place in the Final Qualification Tournament.

## Format

The Rugby Europe Championship, controlled by Rugby Europe, is the regional qualification tournament for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. Each team play each other in a double-round-robin tournament over the two years, with the winners and runners-up of the two-year cycle qualifying for the World Cup as Europe 1 and Europe 2 respectively. The third placed team advances to the Final qualification tournament as Europe 3.
The qualification process did not include the remaining three divisions in the Rugby Europe system that are typically included across play-off matches due to the time scale restraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Entrants

Six teams competed during the European qualifiers for the 2023 Rugby World Cup; teams World Rankings are prior to the first European qualification matches on 6 March.
| Nation | Rank | Began play | Qualifying status |
| England | 4 | N/A | Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup |
| France | 3 | N/A | Qualified as Hosts |
| Georgia | 12 | 6 March 2021 | Qualified as Europe 1 on 10 March 2022 |
| Ireland | 7 | N/A | Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup |
| Italy | 15 | N/A | Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup |
| Netherlands | 25 | 26 June 2021 | Eliminated by Spain on 5 February 2022 |
| Portugal | 20 | 6 March 2021 | Advances to Final Qualification Tournament as Europe 3 via points deduction on 27 June 2022 |
| Romania | 19 | 6 March 2021 | Qualified as Europe 2 via points deduction on 27 June 2022 |
| Russia | 21 | 6 March 2021 | Disqualified from competition on 28 February 2022 |
| Scotland | 8 | N/A | Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup |
| Spain | 17 | 14 March 2021 | Eliminated via points deduction on 27 June 2022 |
| Wales | 5 | N/A | Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup |

## Rugby Europe Championship
### Table

For the Rugby Europe Championship teams, results were considered on a 2-year aggregate from the 2021 and 2022 seasons; the winner and runner-up teams automatically qualified for the tournament as Europe 1 and Europe 2 individually, leaving the team in third place to qualify for the Final qualification tournament as Europe 3.
Following the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, Rugby Europe suspended all Russian games on home soil on 25 February 2022 before later suspending Russia at all levels with immediate effect on 1 March 2022. This later resulted in the cancelled games being declared a walkover and the opposition of Russia would be given 4 points.
Georgia were confirmed as Europe 1 following a walkover result against Russia whilst on 13 March, Spain had secured Europe 2 with a win over Portugal. However, on 28 March, it was announced Spain would be investigated for fielding an ineligible player, the South Africa-born Gavin Van Den Berg, in two World Cup qualifying matches against the Netherlands. On 28 April 2022, an independent judicial committee determined that Spain did breach the regulation, and deducted 10 points from the table. This resulted in Spain dropping out of the top three qualifying/play-off places meaning Romania qualified as Europe 2 and Portugal would proceed to the play-offs. Spain later appealed the decision, but the appeal was unsuccessful and the original decision was upheld. This meant Romania qualified as Europe 2 and Portugal advanced to the play-offs as Europe 3.
* Qualified as Europe 1
* Qualified as Europe 2
* Advances to Final Qualification Tournament as Europe 3
* Disqualified
| Pos. | Team | Games | Games | Games | Games | Points | Points | Points | Tries | Tries | Tries | TBP | LBP | GS | Table points |
| Pos. | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | For | Against | Diff | TBP | LBP | GS | Table points |
| 1 | Georgia | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 325 | 146 | +179 | 47 | 14 | +33 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 44 |
| 2 | Romania | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 289 | 232 | +57 | 35 | 27 | +8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 28 |
| 3 | Portugal | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 335 | 237 | +98 | 44 | 31 | +13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 26 |
| 4 | Spain | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 334 | 244 | +90 | 44 | 30 | +14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 19* |
| 5 | Russia | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 159 | 217 | −58 | 18 | 27 | −9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 98 | 464 | −366 | 13 | 72 | −59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Source - Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win – 4 points | Draw – 2 points | At least 3 more tries than opponent – 1 point | Loss within 7 points – 1 point | Completing a Grand Slam – 1 point $^a$ Georgia, Portugal and Netherlands awarded 4 points for cancelled games against Russia * deducted points |

### Fixtures
#### 2021

* 6 March 2021 15:00 MSK (UTC+03)
| Russia | 18–13 | Romania (1 BP) |
| Pen: Gaisin (6/7) 2', 24', 45', 57', 64', 72' | Report WR Report | Try: Antonescu 7' c Con: Vlaicu (1/1) 8' Pen: Vlaicu (2/2) 21', 76' |
* Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi Attendance: 2,895 Referee: Shota Tevzadze (Georgia)
* 6 March 2021 15:00 WET (UTC+00)
| Portugal | 16–29 | Georgia (1 BP) |
| Try: Marta 39' c Con: Marques (1/1) 40' Pen: Marques (3/3) 5', 14', 44' | Report WR Report | Try: Modebadze 18' m Bregvadze 29' m Melikidze 50' c Kharaishvili 66' m Jalaghonia 80+5' c Con: Matiashvili (2/5) 51', 80+6' |
* Estádio de Rugby Jamor, Lisbon Attendance: 0 Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
* 13 March 2021 13:00 WET (UTC+00)
| (1 BP) Portugal | 27–28 | Romania |
| Try: Antunes 10' c Portela 34' c Storti 66' c Con: Marques (3/3) 11', 35', 67' Pen: Marques (2/2) 17', 60' | Report WR Report | Try: Savin 49' m Onuțu 74' c Cojocaru 79' c Con: Melinte (2/2) 75', 80' Pen: Vlaicu (3/4) 4', 21', 29' |
* Estádio de Rugby Jamor, Lisbon Attendance: 30 Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
* 14 March 2021 12:45 CET (UTC+01)
| (1 BP) Spain | 19–25 | Georgia |
| Try: Linklater 4' c Con: Güemes (1/1) 4' Pen: Güemes (2/2) 40', 47' Linklater (2/2) 64', 69' | Report WR Report | Try: Jalaghonia 3' c Tabutsadze 48' m Bregvadze 67' c Con: Abzhandadze (2/3) 3', 68' Pen: Abzhandadze (2/2) 14', 61' |
* Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid Attendance: 0 Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
* 20 March 2021 13:00 KALT (UTC+02)
| Russia | 6–23 | Georgia (1 BP) |
| Pen: Gaisin (2/3) 38', 48' | Report WR Report | Try: Tabutsadze 29' m Abzhandadze 39' m Niniashvili 60' c Con: Abzhandadze (1/3) 61' Pen: Abzhandadze (2/4) 3', 21' |
* Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad Attendance: 9,564 Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
* 20 March 2021 15:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Romania | 22–16 | Spain (1 BP) |
| Try: Căpățână 60' m Melinte 79' m Pen: Vlaicu (4/4) 25', 40', 47', 52' | Report WR Report | Try: Rouet 42' c Con: Ordas (1/1) 43' Pen: Ordas (3/3) 8', 34', 77' |
* Stadionul Steaua II, Bucharest Attendance: 50 Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
* 27 March 2021 16:00 WET (UTC+00)
| Portugal | 43–28 | Spain |
| Try: Simões 28' c Portela 39' c Marta 47' c Storti 59' c Marques 77' c Fernandes 80' m Con: Marques (5/6) 29', 40', 48', 59', 79 Pen: Marques (1/2) 71' | Report WR Report | Try: Pinto Ferrer 6' c Rouet 16' c Linklater 36' c Ordas 80' c Con: Ordas (4/4) 7', 17', 37', 80' |
* Estádio de Rugby Jamor, Lisbon Attendance: 0 Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)
* 28 March 2021 15:00 GET (UTC+04)
| Georgia | 28–17 | Romania |
| Try: Penalty try 10' Gigashvili 51' Tabutsadze 70' Con: Abzhandadze 52' Pen: Abzhandadze 20', 40' Drop: Babunashvili 80' | Report WR Report | Try: Gorin 21' Căpățână 61' Con: Plai 22' Vlaicu 62' Pen: Vlaicu 44' |
* Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)
* 26 June 2021 17:00 GET (UTC+04)
| (1 BP) Georgia | 48–15 | Netherlands |
| Try: Niniashvili (3) 10' m, 72' c, 79' m Tabutsadze (2) 25' m, 65' c Lobzhanidze 37' m Gogichashvili 54' c Javakhia 60' c Con: Abzhandadze (1/4) 55' Babunashvili (3/4) 61', 66', 73' | Report WR Report | Try: Hop 35' m v. Dijk 75' c Con: Wierenga (1/2) 76' Pen: Rademaker (1/3) 16' |
* Caucasus Arena, Telavi Attendance: 700 Referee: Alexandru Ionescu (Romania)
* 10 July 2021 15:00 CEST (UTC+02)
| Netherlands | 28–61 | Portugal (1 BP) |
| Try: Wierenga 37' c Campbell (2) 54' c, 84' c Hop 65' c Con: Weersma (4/4) 38', 54', 66', 85' | Report WR Report | Try: Tadjer 2' c Storti (5) 12' c, 14' c, 60' c, 75' c, 80' m Marta (3) 37' m, 50' c, 67' c Con: Marques (8/9) 9', 13', 15', 40', 51', 61', 68', 76' |
* NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam Attendance: 1,600 Referee: Aled Evans (Wales)
* 17 July 2021 13:30 MSK (UTC+03)
| Russia | 26–49 | Portugal |
| Try: Gresev 29' c Silenko (2) 38' c, 59' m Sychev 77' c Con: Kushnarev (3/4) 30', 39', 77' | Report WR Report | Try: Appleton 7' c Granate 15' c Lima 45' c Simões 56' m Penalty try 61' Portela 67' c Con: Marques (4/5) 8', 16', 46', 68' Pen: Marques (3/3) 3', 32', 50' |
* Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
* 6 November 2021 15:00 CET (UTC+01)
| Netherlands | 8–35 | Russia (1 BP) |
| Try: van der Avoird 58' c Pen: Weersma (1/1) 42' | Report WR Report | Try: Zhivatov 8' c Brocas 28' c Karzanov 43' c Morozov 51' c Ivanov 54' c Con: Gaisin (5/5) 9', 29', 44', 52', 55' |
* NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Keith Allen (Scotland)
* 13 November 2021 17:30 EET (UTC+02)
| (1 BP) Romania | 56–15 | Netherlands |
| Try: Simionescu 10' c Dumitru (3) 19' c, 48' c, 56' c Cojocaru (2) 29' c, 43' c Vaovasa 31' c Bărdașu 80' c Con: Melinte (8/8) 11', 20', 30', 32', 44', 49', 57', 80' | Report WR Report | Try: Bloemen 25' c van de Avoird 71' m Con: van Oord (1/1) 26' Pen: van Oord (1/1) 35' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Attendance: 0 Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)
* 14 November 2021 12:45 CET (UTC+01)
| (1 BP) Spain | 49–12 | Russia |
| Try: Pinto Ferrer 7' c Gimeno 23' c Mora (2) 35' c, 44' c Perrin 62' c Losada 67' c Aboitiz 73' c Con: Güemes (4/4) 7', 23', 36', 45' Ordas (3/3) 63', 68', 73' | Report WR Report | Try: Uzonov 47' m Kononov 65' c Con: Golov (1/1) 65' |
* Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)
* 18 December 2021 14:00 CET (UTC+01)
| Netherlands | 7–52 | Spain (1 BP) |
| Try: van der Avoird 4' c Con: Mistou (1/1) 5' | Report WR Report | Try: Gimeno 17' c Rouet 21' c Bell (2) 31' c, 56' m Pinto 54' c Van der Berg 64' c Minguillon 71' m Jorba 78' c Con: Rouet (5/6) 17', 21', 32', 55', 65' Munilla (1/1) 79' |
* NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam Attendance: 0 Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

#### 2022

* 5 February 2022 14:30 EET (UTC+02)
| Romania | 34–25 | Russia |
| Try: Cojocaru (2) 11' c, 25' c Macovei 40' c Rupanu 72' c Con: Boldor (3/3) 11', 25', 40' Plai 72' Pen: Boldor (1/2) 38' Plai (1/1) 72' | Report WR Report | Try: Penalty try 6' Parkhomenko (2) 62' c, 75' m Con: Gaisin (1/2) 62' Pen: Gaisin (2/3) 43', 47' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Attendance: 2,700 Referee: Adam Leal (England)
* 5 February 2022 16:00 CET (UTC+01)
| (1 BP) Spain | 43–0 | Netherlands |
| Try: Usárraga 10' c López 23' c Jorba 38' m Gimeno 44' c Ordas 56' m Minguillon 65' m Ovejero 71' c Con: Ordas (3/6) 11', 24', 45' Bélie (1/1) 72' | Report WR Report | |
* Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
* 6 February 2022 15:00 GET (UTC+04)
| Georgia | 25–25 | Portugal |
| Try: Tabutsadze 29' c Kerdikoshvili 40' m Jalaghonia 64' c Con: Abzhandadze (2/3) 30', 64' Pen: Abzhandadze (2/2) 26', 46' | Report WR Report | Try: Cardoso Pinto 36' m Marta 50' c Lima 58' c Con: Marques (2/3) 52', 59' Pen: Marques (2/2) 10', 28' |
* Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Romain Poite (France)
* 12 February 2022 13:00 MSK (UTC+03)
| (1 BP) Russia | 37–41 | Spain |
| Try: Gresev 30' c Ryabishchuk 33' c Davydov 61' c Zhivatov 76' c Con: Gaisin (4/4) 30', 34', 62', 77' Pen: Gaisin (3/3) 9', 42', 66' | Report WR Report | Try: Gimeno 3' c Minguillon (2) 16' m, 36' m Pinto 40' m Ovejero 80' c Con: Ordas (2/5) 3', 80' Pen: Ordas (4/4) 27', 59', 65', 71' |
* Slava Metreveli Central Stadium, Sochi Attendance: 0 Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
* 12 February 2022 13:15 CET (UTC+01)
| Netherlands | 10–72 | Georgia (1 BP) |
| Try: Danen 49' c Con: Weersma (1/1) 50' Pen: Weersma (1/1) 17' | Report WR Report | Try: Giorgadze (3) 8' m, 46' c, 59' c Tabutsadze (2) 14' m, 38' m Japaridze 24' c Lobzhanidze (2) 28' c, 53' c Jalaghonia 52' c Modebadze 66' m Chkoidze (2) 76' m, 82' m Con: Abzhandadze (6/12) 25', 29', 47', 53', 54', 60' |
* NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam Attendance: 900 Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)
* 12 February 2022 17:30 EET (UTC+02)
| Romania | 37–27 | Portugal |
| Try: Ser 40' c Cojocaru 54' c Savin 67' c Gorin 80' c Con: Melinte (3/3) 41', 55', 67' Plai (1/1) 80' Pen: Melinte (3/3) 5', 36', 75' | Report WR Report | Try: Lima 24' m Marta 31' c Pinto (2) 37' c, 49' m Con: Marques (2/4) 33', 39' Pen: Marques (1/1) 28' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Attendance: 2,700 Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
* 26 February 2022 15:00 WET (UTC+00)
| (1 BP) Portugal | 59–3 | Netherlands |
| Try: Belo 14' c Diniz 22' m Bettencourt (2) 30' c, 63' c Simões (2) 38' c, 43' m Marta 47' c Storti 54' c Antunes 76' Con: Antunes (7/9) 15', 31', 39', 48', 55', 64', 77' | Report WR Report | Pen: Te Hauora Campbell (1/1) 1' |
* Campo de Rugby Complexo Desportivo, Caldas da Rainha Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)
* 27 February 2022 12:45 CET (UTC+01)
| Spain | 38–21 | Romania |
| Try: Marco Pinto 6' c Foulds 10' c Quercy (2) 19' c, 59' c Gimeno 27' c Con: Ordas (5/5) 7', 11', 20', 27', 60' Pen: Ordas (1/1) 55' | Report WR Report | Try: Hinckley Vaovasa (2) 16' c, 65' c Marius Simionescu 70' c Con: Plai (3/3) 17', 66', 71' |
* Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
* N/A N/A
| Georgia | Cancelled | Russia |
| | WR Report | |
* N/A Attendance: N/A Referee: N/A
* Georgia awarded 4 points.
* N/A N/A
| Russia | Cancelled | Netherlands |
| | WR Report | |
* N/A Attendance: N/A Referee: N/A
* Netherlands awarded 4 points.
* 12 March 2022 17:30 EET (UTC+02)
| (1 BP) Romania | 23–26 | Georgia |
| Try: Cojocaru 7' m Bărdașu 73' c Con: Melinte (2/2) 39', 73' Pen: Melinte (3/4) 17', 21', 43' | Rerport WR Report | Try: Lobzhanidze 9' c Sharikadze 28' c Todua 34' c Tabutsadze 70' m Con: Abzhandadze (3/4) 10', 28', 34' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)
* 13 March 2022 12:45 CET (UTC+01)
| Spain | 33–28 | Portugal (1 BP) |
| Try: Zabala 7' m Quercy (2) 17' c, 25' c Pinto 38' m Con: Ordas (2/4) 18', 26' Pen: Ordas (3/3) 44', 51', 58' | Report WR Report | Try: Bento 10' c Bettencourt 32' c Madeira 79' m Con: Marques (2/2) 11', 33' Pen: Marques (3/3) 6', 46', 54' |
* Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
* 19 March 2022 13:00 CET (UTC+01)
| Netherlands | 12–38 | Romania (1 BP) |
| Try: Weersma 34' m Raymond 40' c Con: Weersma (1/2) 40' | Report WR Report | Try: Rupanu 3' c Vaovasa 14' c Dumitru 17' c Cojocaru 28' m Bucur 71' m Macovei 77' c Con: Melinte (4/6) 3', 15', 17'm 77' |
* NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam Attendance: 1,200 Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
* N/A N/A
| Portugal | Cancelled | Russia |
| | WR Report | |
* N/A Attendance: N/A Referee: N/A
Portugal awarded 4 points.
* 20 March 2022 18:00 GET (UTC+04)
| (1 BP) Georgia | 49–15 | Spain |
| Try: Tabutsadze (2) 27' c, 68' c Giorgadze (2) 34' m, 73' c Sharikadze 62' c Chkoidze 80' c Con: Abzhandadze (5/6) 28', 63', 69', 74', 80' Pen: Abzhandadze (2/3) 15', 54' Drop: Lobzhanidze (1/1) 3' | Report WR Report | Try: Jorba 24' m Ovejero 49' c Con: Ordas (1/2) 51' Pen: Ordas (1/2) 8' |
* Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)