▁ ▁The ▁first ▁stage ▁was ▁a ▁World ▁Series ▁Qual ifier ▁held ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Se vens . ▁Two ▁qual ifiers ▁from ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁IR B ' s ▁six ▁regions ▁competed . ▁The ▁ 1 2 ▁teams ▁were ▁drawn ▁into ▁po ols , ▁with ▁the ▁top ▁eight ▁teams ▁adv ancing ▁to ▁a ▁quarter final ▁round . ▁The ▁w inners ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁quarter final ▁matches ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁final ▁qual ifying ▁stage . ▁ ▁The ▁final ▁qual ifying ▁stage , ▁the ▁World ▁Series ▁Core ▁Team ▁Qual ifier , ▁was ▁held ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁London ▁Se vens . ▁The ▁qual ifying ▁teams ▁were ▁joined ▁by ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁H SB C ▁Asian ▁Se vens ▁Series , ▁plus ▁the ▁bottom ▁three ▁core ▁teams ▁following ▁the ▁Scotland ▁Se vens . ▁The ▁qual ifying ▁tournament ▁was ▁conducted ▁with ▁a ▁pool ▁stage ▁followed ▁by ▁knock out ▁play , ▁with ▁the ▁two ▁final ists ▁and ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁third - place ▁match ▁becoming ▁core ▁teams ▁for ▁the ▁following ▁season . ▁ ▁Stand ings ▁Final ▁stand ings ▁after ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁nine ▁tournament s ▁of ▁the ▁series : ▁ ▁Source : ▁IR B ▁( Arch ived ) ▁▁ ▁{ | ▁class =" wik itable " ▁style =" font - size : 9 2 %; " ▁| - ▁! col span = 2 | ▁Leg end ▁| - ▁style =" line - height : 1 8 px ; ▁font - size : 9 0 %; " ▁| col span = 2 ▁align = center ▁|