Georgia have secured their place at Rugby World Cup 2023 after all remaining games involving Russia in the Rugby Europe Championship 2022 were abandoned following a decision by the Rugby World Cup Board on Wednesday.
The award of four match points to each of the teams set to play Russia (Georgia, Portugal and the Netherlands) means that the Lelos are now guaranteed a top-two finish in the region’s overall qualification table.
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Taking results from the Rugby Europe Championship in 2021 and 2022 into account, Georgia cannot be overhauled as the first or second-ranked team and are still firm favourites to claim the Europe 1 spot at France 2023.
Georgia are therefore the 15th team to qualify for Rugby World Cup 2023, following in the footsteps of Samoa and Uruguay who secured their places via the regional qualification process in 2021.
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The Lelos have competed at every Rugby World Cup since their first appearance on the game’s greatest stage in Australia in 2003 and will be looking to put in a strong performance in France, where many of their players are based.
*Press release – World Rugby
