Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Prop's forged passport sees Spain kicked out of the 2023 World Cup

Gavin van den Berg (Photo by Oscar J Barroso/Europa Press Sports via Getty Images)

Spain have been thrown out of the 2023 World Cup in France after a disciplinary hearing found that they had played an ineligible player in two recent qualifications games. South African prop Gavin van den Berg had been attached to the Alcobendas club in Spain and he came off the bench in the February Rugby Europe Championship win over the Netherlands.

ADVERTISEMENT

He had debuted against the Dutch two months earlier, scoring a try as a replacement in another Rugby Europe Championship. However, after Spain went on to clinch qualification for the finals with a win over Portugal in March to set up pool games in France next year versus Ireland, South Africa, Scotland and another qualifier, an eligibility investigation was launched.

The Spanish rugby federation have now reported they have been fined and deducted ten match points, leaving them finishing much further down the Rugby Europe Championship table and out of the World Cup qualification positions.

Video Spacer

We are joined by Springbok rugby royalty with very special guest Siya Kolisi | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 31

We’re joined by Springbok royalty, Siya Kolisi, who discusses his incredible journey to becoming one of the most iconic players the sport has ever seen. Siya discusses his career journey both on and off the pitch including – altercations off the filed, the genius of Rassie Erasmus as a coach and selector, URC vs super rugby, the possibility of moving to play in Europe, his thoughts on Boks joining six nations, resetting rugby pathway, an incredible impromptu supper with Gerald Buttler, Drinks with Jurgen Klopp & Roc Nations positive influence on rugby.

Video Spacer

We are joined by Springbok rugby royalty with very special guest Siya Kolisi | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 31

We’re joined by Springbok royalty, Siya Kolisi, who discusses his incredible journey to becoming one of the most iconic players the sport has ever seen. Siya discusses his career journey both on and off the pitch including – altercations off the filed, the genius of Rassie Erasmus as a coach and selector, URC vs super rugby, the possibility of moving to play in Europe, his thoughts on Boks joining six nations, resetting rugby pathway, an incredible impromptu supper with Gerald Buttler, Drinks with Jurgen Klopp & Roc Nations positive influence on rugby.

A statement on the Spanish federation’s website read: “After the oral hearing held this Thursday, April 28, with the independent judicial committee appointed by World Rugby to study the claim of the Romanian Rugby Federation (FRR) on the eligibility of Gavin van den Berg, the highest body in world rugby has decided to penalise Spain with a £25,000 fine and deduct five points for each of the two games in which this player lined out.

“While waiting for World Rugby to make the ruling official, this decision means disqualification from the 2023 World Cup in France, a competition for which the XV del León had qualified directly by finishing second in the Rugby Europe Championship 2021-2022.

“As this very harsh sanction occurs as a result of an alleged forgery of the aforementioned player’s passport, the Spanish Rugby Federation (FER) continues with the extraordinary disciplinary procedure initiated at the time and will shortly call a press conference to offer all the explanations that are required.”

Spain were due to kick off their World Cup pool schedule in Bordeaux versus the Irish and the Springboks before moving on to Lille to play their other two matches.

ADVERTISEMENT

A World Rugby statement added: “An independent judicial committee considering a potential breach of regulation eight (eligibility for a national team) has determined that Spain fielded an ineligible player during two Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification matches and has imposed a ten-point deduction and a financial sanction.

“In respect of the sanction, the independent committee, comprising Nigel Hampton (chair), Pamela Woodman and Frank Hadden, imposed the following:

  • The deduction of five points for each of the two matches in which the ineligible player was fielded by the Spanish union (ten points in total);
  • World Rugby regulation eight stipulates mandatory financial penalties for breaches of the regulation. The committee imposed the fixed sanction of £25,000 and noted that a suspended sanction of £50,000 relating to a previous eligibility breach during qualification for Rugby World Cup 2019 would be payable.

“Subject to Spain’s right of appeal, the ten-point deduction applied to the Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification table means that Romania will qualify as Europe 2 into Pool B replacing Spain, and Portugal will replace Romania in the final qualification tournament in November 2022. Spain has a right of appeal within 14 days of the date of the full written decision of the committee.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

H
Head high tackle 12 minutes ago
How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’?

Nick I think a lot of teams 10,12 and 13 combo's suffer considerably when compared to the Carter, Nonu, Smith era. I cant think of any other world combo that comes close to that combo. 3 once in a generation players all doing their thing collectively. Carter is possibably the best ever player and Nonu and Smith are world class in any generation. Im old enough to remember the runner/playmaker 12s of yesteryear and rugby was much simpler then. The defensive systems of today are so studied and practiced that the space is no longer there in the midfield.

Under Foster the backs never quite looked as fluid as the Carter, Nonu, Smith trio and thats mainly due to Mounga, Jordie B and Reiko just not being close in standard to the other 3. Your recent article around the ABs 70%, shows clearly that Mounga is no Carter and that the 12 and 13 players who have replaced Nonu and Smith just arnt Nonu and Smith.

There is hope for Razor to develop that area next year and beyond but Razor has been more conservative at centre than any other area. So far Razor has avoided change but I think it will come. Both current centres are makeshift centres who grabbed the positions due to injury and have kept them.

Spot on around WJ and his skillset tho. He certainly has a few skill deficiencies compared to many 15s and I would be very happy for him to stay at 14, but also happy if he develops his kicking and playmaking from 15 as he brings something no one else does. He is very good at passing or offloading for his support tho.

JB is still playing 15 basically. We need someone to play 12. Not just play AT 12.

14 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Scott Robertson explains Ethan de Groot's Ireland omission Razor explains Ethan de Groot's Ireland omission
Search