Archive photos with the celebrations of the Spanish National Team when qualifying for the World Cup. Photo: REUTERS/Susana Vera.
Spain’s national team will not play in the Rugby World Cup in France 2023 due to incorrect alignment of the South Africa column Gavin van den Berg in Qualifying matches against the Netherlands and its venue will be occupied by Romania, the Spanish Rugby Federation (Ferugby) reported today.
The independent judicial committee appointed by World Rugby to study the Romanian Rugby Federation’s (FRR) claim to Van den Berg’s eligibility, has decided to punish Spain with 25,000 pounds and deduct five points for each in the two matches in which this player is lined up, staying out of the world.
In the European qualifier Georgia was first with 44 points, followed by Spain with 29, both classified, Romania with 28 and Portugal with 26.
Van den Berg was used by Spain in matches against the Netherlands, 52-7 away and 43-0 at home, and by suffering the discount of that 10 points Spain added 19 units, which qualified in Romania for the Cup and Portugal for the playoffs.
The Spanish rugby team is left with the 2023 World Cup. Photo: Instagram.
Now awaits the formal announcement from World Rugby that Romania will be drawn into Group B along with South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and an Asia-Pacific playoff qualifier.
It is worth remembering that Los Pumas will be part of Group D and will debut on Saturday, September 9 of next year against England. They will face Samoa, Americas 2 and Japan.
issue of nationality
It has long been suspected that South Africa did not meet the eligibility requirements (continued time spent in Spain, fundamentally).
Alcobendas, the club where Van den Berg plays, sent Ferugby unofficial documents without a stamp that would determine his legitimacy, as the player did not have a passport and they also forged his entry visa into the country, reported by Marca.
Ferugby approved the wrong documents to include him in the selected team, which prompted the Romanian claim and WR found out that this complaint was correct, and now Romania has inherited Spain’s position.
Source: Telam
Source: Clarin
