In the American Region for Rugby World Cup Qualifying, two teams, Canada and USA, qualified directly to the world cup and the third place, Uruguay, entered a playoff against the third place European team and the second place African and Asian teams.
The qualification process started with regional qualification tournaments. First a Caribbean tournament in the Cayman Islands during April 2008, was won by Trinidad and Tobago. South America's Second Division 2008 South American Rugby (division B) was the next tournament to take place. Brazil won on the final day in Paraguay.
The two regional champions advanced to a playoff to decide who would face Uruguay and Chile in Round 3A. Brazil won both legs of the two-match series for the right to participate in the 2009 South American Rugby Championship A Division, which was won by Uruguay. Uruguay then faced the United States to determine the Americas 2 seed.
On July 11, 2009, Canada claimed the Americas 1 seed, making them the first team to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The USA followed on November 21 to claim the Americas 2 seed, sending Uruguay to the playoffs for the final place.
18 teams participated in the qualifying process. For 2007 there were 19. Changes in participation levels were due to Argentina earning a spot in the 2011 tournament with their performance in 2007, Saint Lucia not participating, and Mexico making their Rugby World Cup qualifying debut.
Round 1A (Caribbean Regional Tournament) - April 2008 The Caribbean Regional Championships held in the Cayman Islands was the first Qualifying event for the Rugby World Cup 2011. The Tournament included the nine eligible IRB members from the Caribbean & Central America. Mexico was competing in their first major international competition as one of the IRB's newest members. The Mexicans faced Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in a preliminary qualifying match to determine the final eight. The match was played at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. In addition to determining a champion, the tournament played out each final position. The tournament was won by Trinidad and Tobago who advanced to Round 2 of the qualifying process. The main tournament was hosted by the Cayman Islands, with all matches being played at Truman Bodden Stadium in George Town. Attendance at this tournament varied throughout, but the maximum attendance was calculated at 1,395 during the final.
Teams
(Team eliminated in the preliminary round)
2008 Caribbean Regional ChampionshipsDate HomeScoreAwayVenueRefereePreliminary Round29-Mar-20087 - 47Arnos Vale Ground, KingstownN/A1st Round20-Apr-200812 - 39Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownTony Spreadbury 20-Apr-200810 - 3Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownDerek Stoltz 20-Apr-200813 - 29Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownPaul Bretz 20-Apr-200821 - 20Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownAaron Christie Bowl Semifinals23-Apr-200819 - 12Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownLarry Mendez 23-Apr-20086 - 13Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownDerek Stoltz Championship Semifinals23-Apr-200813 - 25Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownTony Spreadbury 23-Apr-200856 - 0Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownPaul Bretz Shield Final26-Apr-200811 - 10Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownN/ABowl Final26-Apr-200817 - 23Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownN/APlate Final26-Apr-200817 - 6Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownN/AChampionship Final (RWC 2011 Qualifying Final)26-Apr-200824 - 40Truman Bodden Stadium, George TownTony Spreadbury
Round 1B (South American Consur B Championships) – June 2008 This round is also the 2008 South American Rugby Championship B Division, a competition for second tier South American nations. The tournament was played at Colegio de San José in Asunción, Paraguay in June 2008. The winners were Brazil who beat hosts Paraguay on the final day. They advanced to Round 2 to face Trinidad and Tobago. Brazil and Paraguay were promoted to the Division A of the Consur.
Standings {| class="wikitable" |- !width=165|Team !width=40|Played !width=40|Won !width=40|Drawn !width=40|Lost !width=40|For !width=40|Against !width=40|Difference !width=40|BP !width=40|Pts |- bgcolor=#ccffcc align=center |align=left| |4||4||0||0||169||20||+149||3||19 |- align=center |align=left| |4||3||0||1||181||25||+156||3||15 |- align=center |align=left| |4||2||0||2||86||123||-37||2||10 |- align=center |align=left| |4||1||0||3||53||148||-95||0||4 |- align=center |align=left| |4||0||0||4||23||196||-173||1||1
Matches Match ResultsDate WinnerScoreLoserVenue19-Jun-200844 - 3Colegio de San José, Asunción19-Jun-200834 - 6Colegio de San José, Asunción21-Jun-200834 - 15Colegio de San José, Asunción21-Jun-200871 - 0Colegio de San José, Asunción23-Jun-200861 - 8Colegio de San José, Asunción23-Jun-200825 - 20Colegio de San José, Asunción26-Jun-200859 - 0Colegio de San José, Asunción26-Jun-200860 - 7Colegio de San José, Asunción29-Jun-200841 - 3Colegio de San José, Asunción29-Jun-200815 - 6Colegio de San José, Asunción
Round 2 (Regional Champions Playoff) This playoff was between the two regional champions of Round 1. The winner of the playoff progressed to join Uruguay and Chile in Round 3A.
Match ResultsDate HomeScoreAwayVenueReferee11-Oct-2008 8 - 31 Larry Gomes Stadium, MalabarDavid Smortchevsky 18-Oct-200824 - 12 Estádio ADC Parahyba, São José dos CamposSantiago Slinger
Brazil advanced by winning the series two matches to none.
Round 3A (South America Consur A Championships) - April/May 2009 This round was also the 2009 South American Rugby Championship A Division, a competition for first tier South American nations. The tournament was played in Montevideo, Uruguay (with the exception of the first match played in Viña del Mar, Chile) in April and May 2009. Paraguay participated in the tournament; however, their participation was limited to the Consur A Championship and their results had no bearing on Rugby World Cup qualifying. Uruguay, who defeated Chile and Brazil, qualified for Round 4 to face the loser of Round 3B.
Standings {| class="wikitable" |- !width=165|Team !width=40|Played !width=40|Won !width=40|Drawn !width=40|Lost !width=40|For !width=40|Against !width=40|Difference !width=40|Points |- align=center |align=left| |2||2||0||0||117||12||+105||6 |- align=center |align=left| |2||1||0||1||88||49||+39||4 |- align=center |align=left| |2||0||0||2||6||150||-144||2
Match ResultsDate HomeScoreAwayVenueReferee25-Apr-200979 - 3Estadio Sausalito, Viña del MarTBA29-Apr-200971 - 3Estadio Charrúa, MontevideoTBA02-May-20099 - 46Estadio Charrúa, MontevideoTBA
Round 3B (North American Qualification Playoff) This round was a two legged playoff between the USA and Canada. The winner, Canada, qualified for Pool A of the 2011 Rugby World Cup as Americas 1; the USA moved on to Round 4.
Match ResultsDate HomeScoreAwayVenueReferee04-Jul-2009 12 - 6 Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston, South CarolinaAlan Lewis 11-Jul-2009 41 - 18Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton, AlbertaAlan Lewis
Series drawn 1-1. Canada won on aggregate 47 - 30.
Round 4 (Final American Qualification Playoff) This two-legged playoff between Uruguay, the winner of South American Qualification (Round 3A), and the US, the loser of the North American Playoff (Round 3B) qualified the United States for Pool C of the Rugby World Cup as Americas 2, while Uruguay advanced to the Final Place Playoff as Americas 3 to face Kazakhstan (the second place Asian team) in the semifinal.
Match ResultsDate HomeScoreAwayVenueReferee14-Nov-2009 22–27 Estadio Charrúa, MontevideoFederico Pastrana 21-Nov-2009 27–6Central Broward Regional Park, Lauderhill, FloridaDavid Smortchevsky
USA won the series 2–0 and 54–28 on aggregate.
Uruguay v USA
USA v Uruguay
See also Rugby World Cup 2011 Rugby World Cup 2011 Rugby World Cup qualifying
External links Confirmation of draw
References