# 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifying

The qualification process for the 2003 Rugby World Cup began during the pool stages of the 1999 tournament in Wales, during which the quarterfinalists were awarded automatic qualification for the 2003 event. A further twelve teams qualified through regional tournaments and the repechage process.

## Qualifiers

| | Africa | Americas | Asia | Europe | Oceania |
| Qualified at 1999 RWC | South Africa | Argentina | | England  France  Scotland  Wales | Australia (holders)(Hosts)  New Zealand |
| Qualified via Regional Slots | Namibia (Africa 1) | Canada (Americas 1)  Uruguay (Americas 2) | Japan (Asia 1) | Ireland (Europe 1)  Italy (Europe 2)  Romania (Europe 3)  Georgia (Europe 4) | Fiji (Oceania 1)  Samoa (Oceania 2) |
| Qualified via Repechage | | United States | | | Tonga |

## Qualifiers

79 teams competed qualifying.
| Region | Teams entered qualifying process | Qualifying berths | Repechage berths | Qualified team(s) | Repechage team(s) |
| Africa | 12 | 1 | 1 | Namibia | Tunisia |
| Americas | 17 | 2 | 1 | Canada Uruguay | United States |
| Asia | 11 | 1 | 1 | Japan | South Korea |
| Europe | 32 | 4 | 1 | Ireland Italy Romania Georgia | Spain |
| Oceania | 9 | 2 | 1 | Fiji Samoa | Tonga |
| TOTALS | 81 | 10 | 5 | | (1 WC Place) |

## Repechage qualification

* Repechage 1 United States
* Repechage 2 Tonga

## Africa qualification

In qualification for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, there was one position for an African nation, as well as the possibility of repechage qualification. Namibia qualified, joining automatic qualifiers South Africa at the competition in Australia.

### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Cameroon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 25 | +16 | 4 |
| 2 | Uganda | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 29 | −8 | 4 |
| 3 | Zambia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 45 | −8 | 4 |

#### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 28 July 2001 | Zambia - Cameroon | Chingola, Zambia | 25-24 |
| 11 August 2001 | Uganda – Zambia | Kyadondo, Uganda | 21-12 |
| 25 August 2001 | Cameroon - Uganda | Douala, Cameroon | 17-0 |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Madagascar | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 32 | +25 | 6 |
| 2 | Botswana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 34 | −10 | 4 |
| 3 | Swaziland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 39 | −15 | 2 |

#### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 1 September 2001 | Botswana - Swaziland | Gaborone, Botswana | 13-3 |
| 16 September 2001 | Madagascar – Botswana | Antananarivo, Madagascar | 31-11 |
| 29 September 2001 | Swaziland - Madagascar | Malkerns, Swaziland | 21-26 |

### Round 2
#### Final standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Madagascar | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 44 | +13 | 6 |
| 2 | Kenya | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 42 | +18 | 4 |
| 3 | Cameroon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 70 | −31 | 2 |

#### Match Schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 13 October 2001 | Madagascar - Kenya | Antananarivo, Madagascar | 27-20 |
| 27 October 2001 | Cameroon – Madagascar | Yaoundé, Cameroon | 24-30 |
| 24 November 2001 | Kenya - Cameroon | Nairobi, Kenya | 40-15 |

### Round 3
#### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Tunisia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 34 | +6 | 6 |
| 2 | Morocco | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 48 | +1 | 4 |
| 3 | Ivory Coast | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 36 | −7 | 2 |

##### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 18 May 2002 | Tunisia - Morocco | Tunis, Tunisia | 27-26 |
| 25 May 2002 | Ivory Coast – Tunisia | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 8-13 |
| 1 June 2002 | Morocco - Ivory Coast | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 23-21 |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Namibia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 154 | 30 | +124 | 6 |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 82 | 45 | +37 | 4 |
| 3 | Madagascar | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 164 | −161 | 2 |

#### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 2 June 2002 | Madagascar - Zimbabwe | Antananarivo, Madagascar | 3-52 |
| 15 June 2002 | Namibia – Madagascar | Windhoek, Namibia | 112-0 |
| 29 June 2002 | Zimbabwe - Namibia | Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | 30-42 |

### Round 4

Namibia won the round based on total tries scored (4 to 3). Namibia qualified to Pool A of the 2003 Rugby World Cup as Africa 1. Tunisia advanced to Repechage.
| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 30 November 2002 | Namibia – Tunisia | Windhoek, Namibia | 26-19 |
| 6 December 2002 | Tunisia – Namibia | Tunis, Tunisia | 24-17 |

## Americas qualification

In qualification for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, a number of positions were available to Americas nations. Canada, Uruguay and the USA would eventually qualify.

### Round 1 (North)

Winner (Trinidad and Tobago) qualified to Round 2.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | | |
| Bermuda | Forfeit | | | |
| Bermuda | Forfeit | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | |
| Saint Lucia | 0 | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | |
| Saint Lucia | 0 | Bermuda | 18 | |
| 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | Bermuda | 18 | |
| 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | Barbados | 5 | |
| Barbados | 25 | Barbados | 5 | |
| Barbados | 25 | | | | 24 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 24 November 2001 - Cayman Islands |
| Bahamas | 18 | | | | 24 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 24 November 2001 - Cayman Islands |
| Bahamas | 18 | | | | Trinidad and Tobago | 23 |
| 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | | | | Trinidad and Tobago | 23 |
| 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | | | Bermuda | 12 |
| Cayman Islands | 32 | | | | Bermuda | 12 |
| Cayman Islands | 32 | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | | |
| Guyana | 13 | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 22 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | | |
| Guyana | 13 | Trinidad and Tobago | 12 | | | |
| 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | | Trinidad and Tobago | 12 | | | |
| 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | 20 November 2001 - Cayman Islands | Cayman Islands | 8 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 51 | Cayman Islands | 8 | |
| Jamaica | 5 | | | |

### Round 1 (South)

Valid also as 2001 South American Rugby Championship "B"
Winner (Brazil) qualified to Round 2.

#### Final standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Brazil | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 24 | +88 | 9 |
| 2 | Venezuela | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 104 | 33 | +71 | 7 |
| 3 | Peru | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 59 | 107 | −48 | 5 |
| 4 | Colombia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 133 | −111 | 3 |

#### Match Schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 6-October-2001 | Venezuela - Colombia | Venezuela | 55-0 |
| 13-October-2001 | Venezuela - Peru | Venezuela | 46-19 |
| 27-October-2001 | Brazil - Peru | Brazil | 51-9 |
| 11-November-2001 | Colombia - Brazil | Colombia | 12-47 |
| 17-November-2001 | Brazil - Venezuela | Brazil | 14-3 |
| 17-November-2001 | Peru-Colombia | Peru | 31-10 |

### Round 2

Winner (Brazil) qualified to Round 3.
| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 22-December-2001 | Trinidad and Tobago - Brazil | Arima (Trinidad and Tobago) | 10-11 |
| 26-January-2002 | Brazil - Trinidad and Tobago | Brazil | 9-0 |

### Round 3

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Chile | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 11 | +92 | 6 |
| 2 | Paraguay | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 70 | −51 | 4 |
| 3 | Brazil | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 60 | −41 | 2 |

#### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 13-April-2002 | Brazil - Chile | Brazil | 6-46 |
| 20-April-2002 | Paraguay - Brazil | Paraguay | 14-13 |
| 28-April-2002 | Chile - Paraguay | Chile | 57-5 |

### Round 4

Top two (Canada and Uruguay) qualified to World Cup as Americas 1 and 2. 3rd Place (USA) to Repechage.

#### Final standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Canada | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 192 | 80 | +112 | 16 |
| 2 | Uruguay | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 115 | 144 | −29 | 12 |
| 3 | United States | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 107 | 139 | −32 | 10 |
| 4 | Chile | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 93 | 144 | −51 | 10 |

#### Match Schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 29-June-2002 | Canada - USA | Canada | 26-9 |
| 13-July-2002 | USA - Canada | United States | 13-36 |
| 27-July-2002 | Chile - Uruguay | Chile | 10-6 |
| 10-August-2002 | USA - Chile | United States | 35-22 |
| 10-August-2002 | Canada - Uruguay | Canada | 51-16 |
| 15-August-2002 | USA - Uruguay | United States | 28-24 |
| 17-August-2002 | Canada - Chile | Canada | 27-6 |
| 24-August-2002 | Uruguay - Canada | Uruguay | 25-23 |
| 24-August-2002 | Chile - USA | Chile | 21-13 |
| 31-August-2002 | Uruguay - USA | Uruguay | 10-9 |
| 31-August-2002 | Chile - Canada | Chile | 11-29 |
| 7-September-2002 | Uruguay - Chile | Uruguay | 34-23 |

## Asia qualification

In qualification for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, there was one position available to the Asia qualifiers, as well as the possibility of further repechage qualification. Japan would go on to qualify for the competition.

### Round 1 – April 2002
#### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Chinese Taipei | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 3 | +54 | 3 |
| 2 | Singapore | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 | +29 | 3 |
| 3 | Malaysia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 91 | −83 | 2 |

##### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 30 March 2002 | Malaysia - Chinese Taipei | Ipoh, Malaysia | 3-57 |
| 6 April 2002 | Singapore – Malaysia | Yio Chu Kang, Singapore | 34-5 |
| Not Played | Chinese Taipei - Singapore | Taiwan | Singapore Foreited |

#### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Hong Kong | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 15 | +17 | 6 |
| 2 | Arabian Gulf | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 47 | 37 | +10 | 4 |
| 3 | Thailand | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 55 | −27 | 2 |

##### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 5 April 2002 | Arabian Gulf - Thailand | Doha, Qatar | 40-20 |
| 12 April 2002 | Thailand – Hong Kong | Bangkok, Thailand | 8-15 |
| 20 April 2002 | Hong Kong – Arabian Gulf | Hong Kong | 17-7 |

#### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | China | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 64 | 24 | +40 | 4 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 4 |
| 3 | Kazakhstan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 71 | −36 | 4 |

##### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 5 April 2002 | Sri Lanka - China | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 9-7 |
| 12 April 2002 | China – Kazakhstan | Shanghai, China | 57-15 |
| 20 April 2002 | Kazakhstan – Sri Lanka | Almaty Kazakhstan | 20-14 |

### Round 2 – May, 2002

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Chinese Taipei | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 36 | +13 | 6 |
| 2 | Hong Kong | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 27 | +22 | 4 |
| 3 | China | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 63 | −35 | 2 |

#### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 18 May 2002 | Chinese Taipei - Hong Kong | Tainan, Taiwan | 20-15 |
| 25 May 2002 | China – Chinese Taipei | Shanghai, China | 21-29 |
| 1 June 2002 | Hong Kong - China | Hong Kong | 34-7 |

### Round 3 – June–July, 2002

Winner (Japan) qualified to Pool B of 2003 Rugby World Cup as Asia 1. Runner-up (Korea) advanced to Repechage.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Japan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 420 | 47 | +373 | 12 |
| 2 | South Korea | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 214 | 183 | +31 | 8 |
| 3 | Chinese Taipei | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 44 | 448 | −404 | 4 |

#### Match schedule

| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
| 16 June 2002 | Japan - Korea | Tokyo, Japan | 90-24 |
| 23 June 2002 | Chinese Taipei - Korea | Tainan, Taiwan | 31-54 |
| 30 June 2002 | Korea – Chinese Taipei | Seoul, South Korea | 119-7 |
| 6 July 2002 | Japan – Chinese Taipei | Tokyo, Japan | 155-3 |
| 14 July 2002 | Korea - Japan | Seoul, South Korea | 17-55 |
| 21 July 2002 | Chinese Taipei - Japan | Tainan, Taiwan | 3-120 |