Spain‘s hopes of playing in their first Rugby World Cup since 1999 came to an end after they lost their appeal against disqualification for fielding an ineligible player.
It is the second successive time that Spain have lost their place at a World Cup for this reason, with Gavin van der Berg the player in question on this occassion.
Spain had been hopeful that new evidence would exonerate them, as they looked to prove that three members of Alcobendas Rugby Club falsified a copy of the passport belonging to Gavin van den Berg, who is of South African origin, in order to make him eligible to play.
They also believed there was a chance that World Rugby‘s Independent Appeal Committee would take sympathy on Spain as van den Berg only came on when Spain were well ahead in the latter stages of in two thumping victories against the Netherlands.
But the Appeal Committee rejected the value of any new evidence, with World Rugby stating: “The Independent Appeal Committee reviewed the original decision of the Independent Judicial Committee based on the evidence that was before it.
“Having considered detailed submissions from the Spanish Union and World Rugby, the Independent Appeal Committee dismissed the appeal.”
Spain will also face £75,000 worth of fines for the breach, a £25,000 fine for this offence and a £50,000 one suspended from their last infringement four years ago.
In their place, Romania – who submitted the smoking gun photograph that showed van den Berg still living in South Africa before his three year residency in Spain was supposed to have begun – have been promoted from the final elimination play-off to the pool stage, whilst Portugal – who lost to an overtime try against Italy on Saturday – will move into that play-off.
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