England 2015 Qualifying - NACRA Update

Rugby World Cup Qualification in the Americas is proving to be a highly unpredictable task as despite having started with a convincing 68-14 win over Jamaica in Mexico City, los Serpientes have been eliminated following a 46-13 loss against the Cayman Islands in Grand Cayman. Curiously, the Cayman Islands lost 19-18 against Jamaica, the same side that Mexico utterly took apart. The results mean that Jamaica and Mexico are out and will take no further part in Rugby World Cup 2015 qualification while the Cayman Islands have advanced to the next round where they will meet Bermuda and the Bahamas.

Elsewhere in NACRA qualification Barbados have succeeded in advancing to the next round after the Caribbean country smashed fellow West Indies country, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 51-0 to win the two match series 85-3 on aggregate. The result means that Barbadoes are going to face Trinidad and Tobago as well as Guyana in May in the next round of the qualifaction series. Qualifying will continue on May 05 with Trinidad and Tobago vs Barbados vs Barbados taking place in the Port of Spain.

The winner of the NACRA section of Rugby World Cup qualification will face the winner of CONSUR B which will involve Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and Venezuela. There is still a long way to go, however, to determine which of Barbados, the Bahamas, Bermuda the Cayman Islands, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago will advance to face the winner of CONSUR B.

NACRA Qualification Wrap

Eliminated: Jamaica, Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Advancing: Barbados, Cayman Islands

Upcoming matches

May 05 Trinidad and Tobago vs Barbados, Port of Spain
May 19 Barbados vs Guyana, venue tba
May 19 Bermuda vs Cayman Islands, Hamilton
June 02 Guyana vs Trinidad and Tobago, Georgetown
June 09 Bahamas vs Bermuda, Nassau


Jamaica vs Cayman Islands

Mexico vs Jamaica - 2023 implications

The need to have the Americaas host Rugby World Cup 2015 was further underlined last weekend as Mexico City was the venue for the first qualifying match for Rugby World Cup 2015. Mexico was playing its first match since officially entering the IRB World Rankings. The 2015 tournament will take place in England with the Welsh capital, Cardiff, acting as a subhost. Despite not being restricted to English territory, it is being billed as England 2015. It is to be the third time that World Cup matches will have been played in England and the fourth time that matches have ben played in Wales. Such is the lack of global scope that has been the history of the Rugby World Cup with the same Tier One sides always hosting and, even subhosting. Every second World Cup, including 2015, has been hosted in Europe and each time Cardiff has hosted matches. The Americas, in contrast, has never hosted and following Japan 2019 it will be the only remaining continent to never have hosted a World Cup tournament.

World Cup 2003 winner, Lawrence Dallaglio was in Mexico City to promote England 2015. he was joined by the William Webb Ellis Trophy and the man responsible for the onfield action was World Cup 2011 Final  referee, Craig Joubert. The IRB´s off-field chief was also there as IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset was amongst the 2,000 supporters at the venue. The IRB, had therefore invested extensive resources in promotting the match and the governing body of world rugby should certainly be in full support of Argentina 2023 as the best option, certainly ahead of the likely opposition of South Africa and a Celtic bid. 

The 2015 World Cup qualification set to get underway with Mexico taking on Jamaica in the opening match

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The first match of 2015 Rugby World Cup qualification gets underway this Saturday as Mexico (IRB ranking 71) take on Jamaica (IRB ranking 86).

Despite neither team having any chance of being one of the eight qualifiers from the 80 nations competing for a place at 2015, the match being staged in Mexico City is set to receive a lot more media attention than normal and hopefully to the benefit of Mexican rugby.

This is Mexico's first attempt at World Cup qualification, they have 1421 registered adult male players (more than four time World Cup nation Namibia) and only just entered the IRB rankings last week (along with Pakistan and the Philippines) despite being a full IRB member since 2006. Their coach is their number 8 Simón Pierre, who is from New Zealand.

Meanwhile the Caribbean side Jamaica who have far less players just 376 registered adult males, famous for sprinters and cricket will embark on their fourth World Cup qualifying campaign. Despite less players, they have more rugby pedigree than their opponents and even had a side in the 2008 Junior World Trophy tournament. Winger Marcel Garvey, is of Jamaican parentage but is unable to play unfortunately as he has represented England A. 

The Webb Ellis Cup

The match will be attended by England's legendary number 8 Lawrence Dallaglio a World Cup winner in 2003 and the 2015 World Cup ambassador. Dallaglio will present both teams with their matchday shirts which should be a memorable moment for the players who are all very much at an amateur level.

The match will be refereed by world class ref Craig Joubert who took charge of the World Cup final in October. And also the Webb Ellis Trophy will be at the match.

The game will be available to watch live on this link at 15:30 local time or 21:30 GMT