▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁and ▁final ▁team ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁World ▁Cup . ▁Four ▁teams , ▁the ▁best ▁non - qual ifier ▁from ▁each ▁region ▁except ▁O ce ania , ▁competed ▁for ▁the ▁last ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁final s ▁in ▁England . ▁Uruguay ▁won ▁the ▁final ▁play , ▁thus ▁becoming ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁qual ifier ▁for ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁and ▁joined ▁hosts ▁England , ▁Australia , ▁Wales ▁and ▁F iji ▁in ▁Pool ▁A . ▁ ▁Format ▁The ▁play - off ▁was ▁cont ested ▁on ▁a ▁knock out ▁basis , ▁with ▁one - game ▁semi - final s ▁and ▁a ▁two - leg ged ▁home ▁and ▁away ▁final . ▁One ▁semi - final ▁featured ▁the ▁third ▁place ▁team ▁from ▁European ▁qual ification ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁place ▁team ▁from ▁African ▁qual ification . ▁The ▁other ▁saw ▁the ▁third ▁placed ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁qual ification ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁place ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁Asia ▁qual ification . ▁ ▁The ▁host ▁of ▁each ▁semi - final ▁was ▁the ▁team ▁with ▁the ▁higher ▁IR B ▁Rank ing ▁at ▁the ▁moment ▁it ▁became ▁known ▁who ▁the ▁two ▁teams ▁were . ▁ ▁Teams ▁ ▁Match es ▁ ▁Pre lim inary ▁round ▁The ▁first ▁match ▁was ▁cont ested ▁between ▁Russia ▁and ▁Z imb ab we , ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁match ▁between ▁Uruguay ▁and ▁Hong ▁Kong . ▁Upon ▁completion ▁of ▁African ▁qual ifying ▁on ▁July ▁ 6 , ▁Russia ▁out rank ed ▁Z imb ab we ▁ 2 0 th ▁to ▁