2014 Women's Rugby World Cup qualifying
The qualification process for the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup began on 5 February 2012. A total of 12 teams will qualify for the tournament, which will be held in France between 1 and 17 August 2014. Qualification process. Following WRWC 2010, six teams received an automatic qualification berth - these berths being given the top 3 teams (New Zealand, England, and Australia), the hosts (France), Canada, and the United States. The remaining six berths for the tournament will be awarded through regional tournaments. The non-automatic qualification process began on 5 February  2012. Twenty teams competed in over 49 matches to win one of the six remaining places at the 2014 tournament. Regional qualification. There will be 12 nations participating in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup. Six teams have automatically qualified by virtue of their performance at the prior Rugby World Cup, leaving six teams to qualify through regional matches. Regional Qualification began on 5 February 2012, during the first round of the 2012 Women's Six Nations Championship. In all, 26 national teams have been involved in the 2014 World Cup - six as automatic qualifiers and 20 as entrants  in the qualification rounds. African Qualification. Round One. The initial round of African qualification was the annual, two game, Elgon Cup tournament between Kenya and Uganda. Each team won their home games, however Uganda won on point aggregate. One game each. win the Elgon Cup 30–26 on aggregate Round Two. South Africa played a single game against the Round One winners, Uganda. South Africa won easily, and secured qualification to the World Cup. Americas Qualification. Canada and the United States automatically qualified. Asian Qualification. The winner of the 2013 ARFU Asian Four Nations, Kazakhstan, qualified directly. Round One. Singapore won  the 2012 ARFU D2. They were promoted to D1 and were eligible to qualify Round Two. Kazakhstan defeated tough competition to win the 2013 ARFU A4N and qualify directly. European Qualification. France automatically qualified by virtue of being hosts. England automatically qualified by finishing second in the 2010 tournament. In addition, there were four other places available for European countries. Round One. The top two teams from the combined 2012 and 2013 Women's Six Nations Championship, Ireland and Wales, qualify directly. The remaining two teams, Italy and Scotland, proceed to Round Three. Round Two. The top two teams from  the 2012 Women's European Championship (Group B) proceed to Round Three. Round Three. The four teams from the previous two rounds, plus Spain and Samoa, competed in a tournament. The top two teams, Spain and Samoa, qualified. Oceanic Qualification. New Zealand and Australia automatically qualified by finishing first and third respectively in the 2010 tournament. Samoa qualified through the European qualification.