▁World ▁Cup . ▁ ▁Vari ous ▁existing ▁regional ▁tournament s ▁were ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁the ▁qual ification ▁process ▁for ▁the ▁remaining ▁eight ▁sp ots . ▁ ▁In cluding ▁teams ▁that ▁failed ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁official ▁qual ifying ▁tournament s , ▁ 8 8 ▁teams ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁qual ification ▁process , ▁bringing ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁teams ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁tournament ▁to ▁ 1 0 0 . ▁ ▁Qual ification ▁competition ▁entr ants ▁over ▁time ▁▁ 1 ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁qual ifying ▁process ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁World ▁Cup . ▁The ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁eight ▁IR FB ▁members ▁( minus ▁South ▁Africa ▁boy c otted ▁because ▁of ▁apart heid ) ▁were ▁joined ▁by ▁nine ▁invited ▁nations . ▁ ▁Qual ification ▁sp ots ▁by ▁continent ▁▁ 2 ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁qual ifying ▁process ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁World ▁Cup ; ▁all ▁teams ▁were ▁invited , ▁and , ▁therefore , ▁automatically ▁qualified . ▁ 3 ▁A + R ▁indicates ▁that ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁teams ▁of ▁this ▁continent ▁qualified ▁to ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁through ▁the ▁repe ch age . ▁ 4 ▁A + P ▁indicates ▁that ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁teams ▁of ▁this ▁continent ▁qualified ▁to ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁through ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁– ▁play - off ▁qual ifications . ▁ ▁First ▁appearance ▁in ▁qual ification ▁by ▁team ▁ ▁Teams ▁marked ▁in ▁ital ics ▁had ▁appeared ▁in ▁a ▁previous ▁world ▁cup ▁( by ▁inv itation ▁in ▁ 1