Russia for RWC 2011
02/28/2010 06:26:44 PM
Russia will join the nations taking part in next year's Rugby World Cup, its first outing in the upper stratosphere of the game, after its 21-21 draw with Romania at the weekend.
While Russia still has two games to play, against Germany and Georgia, it cannot be headed on the points table by either Portugal or Romania. Should those teams end up on level points with Russia, it would still qualify having beaten those teams earlier.
Georgia, Russia's neighbour, also qualified for the tournament. Russia and Georgia will play off on March 20 to decide which pool they will be in. The winner will be in a pool with Argentina, England and Scotland while the runner-up will be in a pool with Australia, Ireland, Italy and the United States.
Portugal and Romania still have remote play-off chances of qualifying, in games which see Lithuania and Tunisia as obstacles to a final play the winner of a contest between Uruguay and Asia's Five Nations runner up.