▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁a ▁repe ch age , ▁a ▁second ▁chance ▁for ▁teams ▁that ▁had ▁finished ▁run ners - up ▁in ▁each ▁qual ifying ▁zone . ▁Again , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁nations ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁qual ifying ▁events ▁increased , ▁from ▁ 4 3 ▁to ▁ 6 3 . ▁▁ 8 1 ▁teams ▁entered ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup . ▁The ▁eight ▁quarter - final ists ▁from ▁the ▁previous ▁world ▁cup ▁gained ▁automatic ▁qual ification ▁with ▁another ▁twelve ▁sp ots ▁open ▁to ▁qual ifiers . ▁Teams ▁from ▁five ▁contin ents , ▁Africa , ▁Asia , ▁O ce ania , ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁gained ▁entry ▁to ▁the ▁competition . ▁Qual ification ▁came ▁through ▁a ▁mixture ▁of ▁round ▁ro bin ▁tournament s , ▁knock out ▁and ▁repe ch age . ▁ ▁A ▁similar ▁mixture ▁of ▁round ▁ro bin ▁tournament s , ▁knock out ▁and ▁repe ch age ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁qual ification ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁involving ▁ 8 6 ▁teams , ▁which ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁ 8 ▁teams ▁which ▁have ▁qualified ▁automatically ▁brought ▁to ▁ 9 4 ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁teams ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁tournament . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁eight ▁quarter final ists ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup , ▁the ▁four ▁teams ▁finishing ▁in ▁third ▁place ▁in ▁their ▁respective ▁po ols ▁qualified ▁automatically ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Rugby