Canada and Hong Kong set up Rugby World Cup Repechage decider
- 2023
Canada and Hong Kong will play off for the 20th and final place at Rugby World Cup 2019 on Friday 23 November after both sides came through difficult challenges from Germany and Kenya respectively to pick up bonus-point wins in round two of the repechage at the Stade Delort in Marseille.
After taking maximum points for the second match in a row with a 29-10 victory over Germany, Canada lead the standings by five points from Hong Kong, who need to win with a bonus point when the sides meet in the third and final round and also deny Canada any bonus point from the game to make it to their first Rugby World Cup.
Canada showed admirable composure to see off stubborn German resistance and get the win that leaves them on the verge of qualification for RWC 2019. The bonus-point victory was secured for Canada thanks to tries from Lucas Rumball, Tyler Ardron, Matt Evans and Gordon McRorie.
Hong Kong kept their RWC 2019 qualification hopes alive with a convincing 42-17 win over Kenya as Thomas Lamboley came off the bench to score twice to ensure the bonus-point result that means it is all to play for on the final match day against Canada.
A place in Pool B alongside defending champions New Zealand, two-time Rugby World Cup winners South Africa, Italy and Namibia awaits the winner of the round-robin tournament.
Sadly for Kenya and Germany, the Rugby World Cup qualification dream is now over for this edition.
The third and final round of the repechage on Friday 23 November sees Kenya take on Germany at 18:00 (GMT+1) followed by the Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification decider between Canada and Hong Kong, which kicks off at 21:00 (GMT+1) at Stade Delort in Marseille, France.