Rugby World Cup Qualifing Is Shifted To Asia

The qualifying focus for Rugby World Cup 2011 now switches to Asia with Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Hong Kong and the Arabian Gulf set to kick-start their final push when the HSBC Asian 5 Nations Top 5 begins on 24 April.

Japan go into the elite tier of the Asian 5 Nations competition looking for a third successive title, an outcome which will see them qualify for RWC 2011 as Asia 1 to join hosts New Zealand, France, Tonga and Canada in Pool A.

The runner up will enter the cross-continental play-off, where Uruguay initially awaits them in July. Whoever emerges from this will face either Tunisia or Romania home and away to determine the 20th and final qualifier for New Zealand 2011.

The only Asian side to grace the Rugby World Cup stage, Japan will be favourites to claim a third successive Asian 5 Nations title, but the battle for second place is likely to a close-run affair between 2009 runners up Kazakhstan, Korea and Hong Kong.

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