ah iti ▁were ▁found ▁to ▁have ▁bre ached ▁player ▁el ig ibility ▁reg ulations ▁in ▁their ▁O ce ania ▁Cup ▁cl ash . ▁ ▁Play - off ▁and ▁repe ch age ▁qual ification ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁regional ▁tournament s , ▁the ▁next ▁qual ification ▁play - off ▁was ▁a ▁home ▁and ▁away ▁series ▁between ▁Germany ▁( as ▁Europe ▁ 2 ) ▁and ▁Sam oa ▁( as ▁O ce ania ▁ 3 ). ▁Sam oa ▁won ▁both ▁matches ▁and ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup , ▁while ▁Germany ▁continued ▁to ▁the ▁repe ch age ▁tournament . ▁▁ ▁Europe / O ce ania ▁play - off ▁qual ifier ▁ ▁The ▁elim ination ▁play - off ▁was ▁a ▁home ▁and ▁away ▁series ▁between ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁( as ▁Asia ▁ 1 ) ▁and ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁( as ▁O ce ania ▁ 4 ). ▁The ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁team ▁was ▁elimin ated ▁with ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁winning ▁both ▁matches ▁to ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁repe ch age ▁tournament . ▁▁ ▁Asia / O ce ania ▁play - off ▁elimin ator ▁ ▁Re pe ch age ▁final ▁tournament ▁ ▁Four ▁teams ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁repe ch age ▁process ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁spot ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Cup . ▁Un like ▁previous ▁repe ch ages , ▁the ▁teams ▁played ▁in ▁a ▁round - ro bin ▁tournament , ▁where ▁all ▁teams ▁played ▁each ▁other ▁once . ▁The ▁repe ch age ▁tournament ▁was ▁hosted ▁at ▁the ▁neutral ▁ven ue ▁of ▁the ▁St ade ▁Del ort ▁in ▁Marse ille , ▁France