Qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup for Oceania Rugby began in July 2021, where 3 teams competed for one direct qualification spot into the final tournament and for a place in a cross-regional play-off match.

Format Oceania Rugby was granted one direct qualification berth, and was awarded to the winner on aggregate of a Samoa–Tonga home and away play-off (Oceania 1). The loser then progressed to a straight play-off match against the winner of the 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup to advance as Oceania 2 to a cross-regional play-off against Asia 1. All matches were held in New Zealand due to COVID-19 restrictions and rates in the region.

Entrants Seven teams had been meant to compete for the Oceania qualifiers for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but this was later reduced to three after the cancelation of the 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup; teams World Rankings are prior to the first Oceania qualification match on 10 July while nations in bold denote teams that have previously played in a Rugby World Cup.

Nation Rank Began play Qualifying status 7 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup 53 24 July Eliminated by Tonga on 24 July 2021 11 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup 2 N/A Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2019 World Cup 98 N/A Eliminated with 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup Cancellation 83 N/A Eliminated with 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup Cancellation 14 10 July Qualified as Oceania 1 on 17 July 2021 104 N/A Eliminated with 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup Cancellation 100 N/A Eliminated with 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup Cancellation 13 10 July Advances to Asia/Pacific play-off as Oceania 2 on 24 July 2021

Round 1: 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup Papua New Guinea were due to host the 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup which was due to take place in June 2021. However, in April 2021, the participating unions agreed to cancel the tournament due to the rising impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.A step closer to the Rugby World Cup With the event's cancellation and the tight timeframe available to determine the region's champion, the World Rugby Rankings were used to confirm the team progressing in the Rugby World Rugby 2023 qualification process, and with the Cook Islands the highest-ranked team at the time, earned progression to Round 3.

Advanced to Round 3 PosTeam 1 522 833 944 965 99

Round 2: Oceania 1 play-offs Round 2 consisted of a 2-leg play-off series between the highest-ranked participating teams in Oceania; Samoa and Tonga. This series was scheduled to be a home-and-away play-off series in Samoa and Tonga, but due to restrictions in the region, New Zealand became the hub for the qualification round.World Rugby and unions confirm men’s July test schedule

The winner of this round, Samoa, qualified as Oceania 1, whilst the loser moved to round 3 to play the Cook Islands in an Oceania 2 play-off decider.

Leg 1

Team details FB 15Ahsee Tuala RW 14Tomasi AlosioOC 13Stacey IliIC 12Henry TaefuLW 11Neria FomaiFH 10Rodney Iona SH 9 Auvasa Faleali'i N8 8 Henry Stowers OF 7 Alamanda MotugaBF 6 Olajuwon NoaRL 5 Samuel SladeLL 4 Ben Nee-Nee TP 3 Michael Alaalatoa (c) HK 2 Ray Niuia LP 1 Tietie Tuimauga Replacements:HK 16Seilala Lam PR 17Jonah Aoina PR 18Kalolo Tuiloma LK 19Theo McFarland FL 20Jack Lam SH 21Jonathan Taumateine FH 22D'Angelo Leuila WG 23Ed Fidow Coach: Seilala Mapusua FB 15Nafi Tuitavake RW 14Penikolo Latu OC 13Fine InisiIC 12Nikolai FoliakiLW 11Hosea SaumakiFH 10Kali HalaSH 9 Sonatane Takulua (c) N8 8 Nasi Manu OF 7 Mateaki KafatoluBF 6 Sione TuipulotuRL 5 Zane Kapeli LL 4 Don LoloTP 3 Sila Puafisi HK 2 Sam Moli LP 1 Jethro Felemi Replacements:HK 16Siua Maile PR 17 PR 18Ben Tameifuna LK 19Harrison Mataele FL 20Viliami Taulani SH 21Leon Fukofuka CE 22Viliami Fine WG 23Sam Vaka Coach: Toutai Kefu Assistant referees: Angus Mabey (New Zealand) Marcus Playle (New Zealand) Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) Notes: James Faiva was named to start but withdrew ahead of the game and was replaced by Nafi Tuitavake, who was replaced by Viliami Fine. Tomasi Alosio, Jonah Aoina, Neria Fomai, Theo McFarland, Olajuwon Noa, Samuel Slade, Jonathan Taumateine, Kalolo Tuiloma and Tietie Tuimauga (all Samoa) and Viliami Fine and Sam Vaka (both Tonga) made their international debuts.

Leg 2

Team details FB 15Kali HalaRW 14Penikolo Latu OC 13Fine InisiIC 12Nikolai FoliakiLW 11Hosea Saumaki FH 10James FaivaSH 9 Sonatane Takulua (c) N8 8 Nasi Manu OF 7 Mateaki KafatoluBF 6 Sione TuipulotuRL 5 Harrison Mataele LL 4 Don LoloTP 3 Sila Puafisi HK 2 Siua Maile LP 1 Jethro Felemi Replacements:HK 16Jay Fonokalafi PR 17 PR 18Ben Tameifuna FL 19Maama Vaipulu FL 20Viliami Taulani SH 21Aisea Halo WG 22Nafi Tuitavake WG 23Walter Fifita Coach: Toutai Kefu FB 15Tomasi AlosioRW 14Ed Fidow OC 13Stacey IliIC 12Henry TaefuLW 11Neria FomaiFH 10Rodney Iona SH 9 Jonathan Taumateine N8 8 Henry Stowers OF 7 Alamanda MotugaBF 6 Olajuwon Noa RL 5 Samuel SladeLL 4 Ben Nee-Nee TP 3 Michael Alaalatoa (c) HK 2 Ray Niuia LP 1 Tietie Tuimauga Replacements:HK 16JP Sauni PR 17Jonah Aoina PR 18Kalolo Tuiloma LK 19Theo McFarland FL 20Jack Lam SH 21Dwayne Polataivao FH 22D'Angelo Leuila CE 23Losi Filipo Coach: Seilala Mapusua Assistant referees: Dan Waenga (New Zealand) Angus Mabey (New Zealand) Television match official: Chris Hart (New Zealand) Notes: Jay Fonokalafi and Aisea Halo (both Tonga) and Losi Filipo and JP Sauni (both Samoa) made their international debuts.

Round 3: Oceania 2 play-off The winner of this match, Tonga, advanced to a Asia/Oceania play-off match against Asia 1 (as Oceania 2), with the winner earning the right to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup as the Asia/Pacific play-off winner.

Team details FB 15Nikolai Foliaki RW 14Nafi TuitavakeOC 13Fine InisiIC 12Sam Vaka LW 11Walter Fifita FH 10James FaivaSH 9 Sonatane Takulua (c)N8 8 Sione Tuipulotu OF 7 Mateaki KafatoluBF 6 Kelemete Finau RL 5 Viliami TaulaniLL 4 Semisi PaeaTP 3 Ben Tameifuna HK 2 Sam Moli LP 1 Replacements:HK 16Jay Fonokalafi PR 17Sona Taumalolo PR 18Sila Puafisi LK 19Nela Matakaiongo FL 20Tovo Faleafa SH 21Leon Fukofuka FH 22Paula Mahe WG 23John Tapueluelu Coach: Toutai Kefu FB 15Te Puhi RudolphRW 14Materua Tupou OC 13Junior TaiaIC 12Leon Ellia-Niukore LW 11Tevita YamarakiFH 10Reece JoyceSH 9 Tokahirere SopoagaN8 8 Leroy Henry-JackOF 7 Tupou Sopoaga (c) BF 6 Rob Heather RL 5 Oneal Rongo LL 4 Tahquinn HansenTP 3 Alex Matapo HK 2 Ben Tou LP 1 Antonio Ripata Replacements:PR 16James Pakoti PR 17Tuakana Paitai HK 18Ezekiel Sopoaga LK 19James Kora FL 20Jardine Pumati Chung-Ching FL 21Francis Smith CE 22Gideon Kautai FB 23Matamanea Matapakia Coach: Nathan Robinson Assistant referees: Angus Mabey (New Zealand) Michael Winter (New Zealand) Television match official: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand) Notes: Tovo Faleafa, Kelemete Finau, Paula Mahe, Nela Matakaiongo, Semisi Paea and John Tapueluelu (all Tonga) and Jardine Pumati Chung-Ching, Leon Ellia-Niukore, Tahquinn Hansen, Leroy Henry-Jack, Gideon Kautai, Antonio Ripata, Te Puhi Rudolph, Ezekiel Sopoaga, Tokahirere Sopoaga, Tupou Sopoaga, Junior Taia, Materua Tupou, Ben Tou and Tevita Yamaraki (all Cook Islands) made their international debuts.

References

Notes

External links Rugby World Cup Official Site