2023 Rugby World Cup – Asia qualification
Tournament details
Dates4 June 2022 – 9 July 2022
No. of nations3
Tournament statistics
Matches played2
← 2019
2027 →

Qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup for Asia commenced in June 2022, with three teams competing for a spot in a Regional play-off match against Oceania 2.[1][2]

Format

The Asia Rugby Championship, governed by Asia Rugby, is the regional qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup 2023, with only the leading Asian Championship league acting as the process. Three teams will participate across two matches, with the winner of the Asian Cup semi-final progressing to play the highest ranked participating team Hong Kong in the Asian Cup final. The winner of the final will advance to a Asia/Pacific play-off match against the winner of Oceania Round 3, Tonga (Oceania 2).

Originally planned for May 2021, the Championship was postponed due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic,[3][4] and had been pushed back multiple more times to allow ample time for teams to participate safely owing COVID-19. This also meant multiple restructures of the competition from a round-robin format home and away to just a single round of fixtures played out of a neutral venue.[5]

In April 2022, the format changed once again, following the withdrawal of Hong Kong, setting up a 2-match play-off between South Korea and Malaysia. However, on 29 April, Asia Rugby confirmed the final format for the competition which included Hong Kong back in the competition.[6]

Entrants

Three teams will compete during for the Asian qualifiers for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with Japan the only team thus far qualified from the Region.

NationRankBegan playQualifying status
 Hong Kong229 July 2022Advances to Asia/Pacific play-off as Asia 1 on 9 July 2022
 Japan10N/AQualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup
 Malaysia514 June 2022Eliminated by South Korea on 4 June 2022
 South Korea294 June 2022Eliminated by Hong Kong on 9 July 2022

Round 1: Asian Rugby Championship

Cup Semi-Final

4 June 2022
16:30 KST (UTC+9)
South Korea 55–10 Malaysia
Try: Kim Hyun Soo 5' c
Chang Yong Heung 25' m
Jeong Yeon Sik 28' c
Choi Seong Deok 47' c
Kim Gwong Min (2) 58' m, 64' c
Shin Da Hyun 69' c
Chae Min Seong 74' c
Con: Kim Ki Min (3/5) 6', 30', 49'
Oh Ji Myeong (3/3) 65', 69', 78'
Pen: Kim Ki Min (1/1) 12'		Report
WR Report		Try: Etonia Vaqa Saukuru 79' c
Con: Mat Zizi (1/1) 80'
Pen: Mat Zizi (1/1) 14'
Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon
Attendance: 5,078
Referee: Craig Chan (Hong Kong)

Cup Final

9 July 2022
17:00 KST (UTC+9)
South Korea 21–23 Hong Kong
Try: Choi Seong Deok 46' c
Kim Kwang Min 63' m
Con: On Ji Myeong (1/2) 46'
Pen: On Ji Myeong (3/3) 60', 69', 75'		Report
WR Report		Try: Alexander Post 20' m
Matthew Worley 36' c
Nathan de Thierry 71' m
Con: Glyn Hughes (1/2) 37'
Pen: Glyn Hughes (1/2) 12'
Gregor McNeish (1/2) 80+3'
Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon
Referee: Tasuku Kawahara (Japan)

References

  1. ↑ "Qualifiers". World Rugby. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  2. ↑ "Asia Rugby Competitions 2021". Asia Rugby. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "Asia Rugby puts player welfare first, postpones tournaments schedule until end of June 2020". Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Asia Rugby Announces 2021 Competitions Calendar". Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "Calendar 2021". Asia Rugby. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  6. ↑ Asia Rugby Keeps the Dream Alive for the World Cup 2023
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