▁cup ) ▁had ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁repe ch age . ▁ ▁Asia ▁ ▁Asia ▁Rugby , ▁with ▁its ▁top - rank ed ▁team ▁hosting ▁the ▁world ▁cup , ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁another ▁direct ▁qual ifying ▁place ▁but ▁the ▁Asia ▁Rugby ▁Championship ▁winner ▁( H ong ▁Kong ) ▁advanced ▁to ▁an ▁Asia / O ce ania ▁play off ▁for ▁a ▁chance ▁at ▁a ▁repe ch age ▁ber th . ▁ ▁Europe ▁ ▁Rugby ▁Europe , ▁having ▁seven ▁teams ▁automatically ▁qualified , ▁gained ▁one ▁more ▁world ▁cup ▁ber th ▁for ▁the ▁Rugby ▁Europe ▁Championship ▁winner ▁( Europe   1 ). ▁The ▁runner - up ▁( Europe   2 ) ▁also ▁had ▁two ▁further ▁ch ances ▁to ▁qual ify , ▁directly ▁via ▁the ▁Europe / O ce ania ▁play - off ▁or ▁through ▁the ▁repe ch age . ▁Roman ia ▁and ▁Spain ▁finished ▁in ▁first ▁and ▁second ▁places ▁but ▁were ▁dedu cted ▁points ▁for ▁field ing ▁in el ig ible ▁players , ▁effectively ▁dis qual ifying ▁them . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁Russia ▁qualified ▁in ▁first ▁place . ▁Germany , ▁who ▁had ▁finished ▁last ▁in ▁the ▁group , ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁play off ▁against ▁division ▁two ▁w inners ▁Portugal , ▁which ▁they ▁won , ▁thereby ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁a ▁play off ▁against ▁Sam oa . ▁ ▁O ce ania ▁ ▁O ce ania ▁Rugby ▁was ▁granted ▁two ▁world ▁cup ▁places ▁for ▁the ▁top ▁teams ▁across ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Nations ▁Cup ▁( O ce ania  