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In qualification for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, thirteen Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) nations compete for one full place, and one repechage place (Repechage 2, against Oceania 3). No Asian teams qualified for the quarter-finals in 2003, so none qualify automatically in 2007. Only Japan has been to the World Cup, participating in all five RWCs to date, with only one win in 1991 (England) against Zimbabwe, 52–8. Asia 1 will go into Group B with Australia, Wales, Fiji and Canada.

Format

The qualification structure was as follows:

• First round: 13 teams (divided into three divisions) played home-and-away in a round-robin style pool stage. The two highest-ranked teams in division one advance to the second round in the first division. Two teams from division two advance to the second round, and one team from division three advances to the second round via a play-off.
• Second round: 6 teams (divided into two divisions) were divided into three-team pools. Each team played home-and-away round-robin matches. The two highest-placed teams in division one advanced to the final round (three), while the best-placed team in division two would be the sole team advancing to the final round from their pool.
• Third round: 3 teams played a home-and-away round-robin match against one of each team. The pool winner qualified to the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The runner-up advanced to the repechage qualification phase.

First round

Division one

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Japan	2	2	0	0	141	34	+107	4	Advance to second round, division one
2	South Korea	2	1	0	1	87	53	+34	2
3	Hong Kong	2	0	0	2	6	147	−141	0	Advance to second round, division two

Japan	91–3	Hong Kong

South Korea	31–50	Japan

Hong Kong	3–56	South Korea

Division two

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Arabian Gulf	2	2	0	0	54	48	+6	4	Advance to second round, division one
2	China	2	1	0	1	44	43	+1	2	Advance to second round, division two
3	Chinese Taipei	2	0	0	2	45	52	−7	0

China	22–19	Chinese Taipei

Arabian Gulf	30–26	Chinese Taipei

Arabian Gulf	24–22	China

Division three

Pool A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sri Lanka	2	2	0	0	82	55	+27	4	Advance to play-off
2	Singapore	2	1	0	1	64	61	+3	2
3	Thailand	2	0	0	2	65	95	−30	0

Thailand	38–48	Sri Lanka

Singapore	47–27	Thailand

Sri Lanka	34–17	Singapore

Pool B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Kazakhstan	3	3	0	0	135	31	+104	6	Advance to play-off
2	India	3	1	1	1	78	56	+22	3
3	Malaysia	3	1	0	2	60	111	−51	2
4	Guam	3	0	1	2	29	104	−75	1

India	22–36	Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan	48–3	Malaysia

India	48–12	Malaysia

Guam	8–8	India

Kazakhstan	51–6	Guam

Malaysia	45–15	Guam

Division three play-off

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sri Lanka	2	1	0	1	43	37	+6	2	Advance to second round, division two
2	Kazakhstan	2	1	0	1	37	43	−6	2

Kazakhstan	25–19	Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka	24–12	Kazakhstan

Second round

Division one

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Japan	2	2	0	0	132	23	+109	4	Advance to the third round
2	South Korea	2	1	0	1	34	55	−21	2
3	Arabian Gulf	2	0	0	2	14	102	−88	0

Japan	82–9	Arabian Gulf
	Report

Japan	50–14	South Korea
	Report

Arabian Gulf	5–20	South Korea
	Report

Division two

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Hong Kong	2	2	0	0	65	21	+44	4	Advance to the third round
2	Sri Lanka	2	1	0	1	44	42	+2	2
3	China	2	0	0	2	7	53	−46	0

Sri Lanka	30–0	China

Hong Kong	42–14	Sri Lanka

China	7–23	Hong Kong

Third round

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Japan	2	2	0	0	106	3	+103	4	2007 Rugby World Cup
2	South Korea	2	1	0	1	23	59	−36	2	Repechage
3	Hong Kong (H)	2	0	0	2	8	75	−67	0

Japan	52–3	Hong Kong

Hong Kong	5–23	South Korea

South Korea	0–54	Japan

References

External links

• World Cup website

• Rugby World Cup Asian qualifiers
• 2007 Rugby World Cup qualification
• 2005 in Asian rugby union
• 2006 in Asian rugby union