5 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup , ▁World ▁Rugby ▁announced ▁the ▁qual ification ▁format ▁for ▁the ▁eight ▁remaining ▁places ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁Of ▁the ▁eight ▁ber th s ▁remaining , ▁six ▁were ▁decided ▁in ▁regional ▁tournament s , ▁one ▁by ▁a ▁cross - reg ional ▁play off ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁one ▁via ▁repe ch age . ▁▁ ▁A ▁total ▁of ▁ 7 9 ▁teams ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁some ▁stage ▁of ▁qual ifying . ▁All ▁non - autom atic ▁qual ifiers ▁were ▁decided ▁by ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Africa ▁ ▁Rugby ▁Africa ▁was ▁granted ▁one ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁world ▁cup , ▁awarded ▁to ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁Africa ▁Cup ▁( A frica   1 ). ▁The ▁runner - up ▁( A frica   2 ) ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁repe ch age ▁tournament . ▁Nam ib ia ▁qualified ▁while ▁Ken ya ▁took ▁the ▁runner - up ▁spot . ▁ ▁Amer icas ▁ ▁The ▁Amer icas , ▁en comp ass ing ▁both ▁the ▁Rugby ▁Amer icas ▁North ▁and ▁Sud am érica ▁Rugby ▁contin ental ▁regions , ▁was ▁awarded ▁two ▁world ▁cup ▁places ▁for ▁the ▁top ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁qual ification ▁process ▁( Amer icas   1 ▁and ▁Amer icas   2 ). ▁A ▁third ▁team ▁( Amer icas   3 ) ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁repe ch age ▁tournament . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Uruguay ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁world ▁cup , ▁while ▁Canada ▁( who ▁had ▁previously ▁qualified ▁for ▁every ▁world