Spain lose appeal and will not play in World Cup
2HT8XX6 Madrid, Spain; 27.02.2022.- Frederic Quercy Spanish rugby team, achieved a victory against Romania by 38-21, with which it occupies second place in the European classification and closer to the World Cup. Final score 38-21, with 5 trials for the Spanish team and 3 for the Romanian. Frederic Quercy scored two tries and Marco Pinto, Matthew Foulds and Alvar Gimeno also scored. They were all converted by Manuel Ordas, who also scored a penalty kick. Now Spain adds 25 points to 22 from Romania and is in second place that gives direct access to the World Cup. Photo: Juan Carlos Rojas
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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