Ireland discover new Rugby World Cup opponents after independent disputes committee’s decision

Russia will join Ireland, Scotland, Japan and the play-off winner in Pool A of the 2019 Rugby World Cup after the independent disputes committee appointed by World Rugby docked Belgium, Romania and Spain points for fielding ineligible players during the controversial Rugby Europe competition.

World Rugby received complaints that various countries in the tournament had fielded players who were not eligible to play either because there was no qualifying connection with their particular country, or because the player had already been “captured” by playing for another country, with Spain fielding one or more ineligible players on eight occasions. Spain were docked a total of 40 points by the independent disputes committee while Romania and Belgium were both docked 30 points each in the tournament for fielding ineligible players during the tournament. All three countries will have 14 days to appeal the independent disputes committee's decision with Russia moving into Pool A while Germany will go into a play-off with Portugal with the winner set to play Samoa in a World Cup play-off for the right to join Russia in Pool A.   The investigation was preceded by a match where Spain played Romania where if Spain lost - Romania - who were then in second place in the table behind Georgia - would qualify. A Romanian match official Vlad Iordachescu had been appointed to officiate at the match with Romania winning 18-0 and advancing to the Rugby World Cup pool stages. However, the match was marred by an incident following the match where Iordachescu was harassed by five Spanish players who were banned for their part in the post-match altercation. The independent disputes committee claimed that the appointment of Iordachescu was 'not made in bad faith and that there was not sufficient justification to overturn the result because of the “appearance of bias”. "The principle that “the referee’s position as sole judge of fact and law during the match is unassailable” is a core principle of rugby, as is the very limited jurisdiction of a Disciplinary Committee to overturn the decisions of referees made on the pitch after the game," a World Rugby statement read. "We accept that if corruption or the bad faith of a referee is proved then the Panel would exercise the jurisdiction that it has (as explained above) to overturn the result of the game. "However, the invitation to overturn a result because of the “appearance of bias” or because of the unsatisfactory way that Rugby Europe dealt with the proper request made by Spain to remove the match officials, is in our judgment not sufficient. "This is because much more is required to set aside the decisions of the referee after the event, or to order a replay. Further, there is no precedent for a Disputes or Disciplinary Committee to set aside the result of a match in such circumstances. "Taking such a step would undermine the respect to which decisions of referees are entitled, absent corruption or bad faith."