Rugby World Cup hopefuls Spain have been booted out of next year's tournament after they were found guilty of breaching rules on player eligibility.
Specifically, Santiago Santos' side have been sanctioned for playing prop Gavin van den Berg before he qualified to represent his adopted nation through residency. Spain were runners-up in the Rugby Europe Championship to qualify for what would have been just their second Rugby World Cup appearance, having made their debut in 1999.
However, Romania filed an appeal under suspicion their rivals had fielded an ineligible player, which was found to be accurate. As a result, Spain have been fined £25,000 and docked five points per qualification match in which Van den Berg played (10 points total), bumping them down to fourth in the standings.
Jubilant scenes were witnessed in Madrid in March when Los Leones beat Portugal 33-28 to guarantee their spot in France next year. They were set to line up opposite titleholders South Africa, Ireland Scotland and a yet-to-be-determined qualifier in Pool B.
It marks the second time Spain have been penalised for fielding an ineligible player, with a 40-point deduction having also halted their 2019 qualification quest. Alcobendas front-rower Van den Berg was previously cleared to play for his adopted nation, but it's been alleged he used a forged passport.
A statement from Spain's rugby federation 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 penalize Spain with £25,000 and deduct five points for each of the two games in which this player was lined up.
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“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 Leon had qualified directly by finishing second in the Rugby Europe Championship 2021-2022."
The statement went on to describe the sanction as "very harsh," noting further explanation will be provided soon. Their punishment also includes a "suspended sanction" of £50,000 for their 2019 eligibility breach.
World Rugby's eligibility rules were changed in November, softening the restrictions preventing players from representing a second Test nation. Under the new laws, a player is eligible to play for a country provided they have lived in the country uninterrupted for three years and have a parent or grandparent from their adoptive country.
Van den Berg, 26, made his Spanish rugby bow for Burgos-based Aparejadores in September 2018. That should have cleared the player before his try-scoring debut for Spain against the Netherlands in December 2021, but several long trips back to South Africa disrupted his three-year cooldown period.
Spain's expulsion from the 2023 Rugby World Cup would appear to mean Romania—who finished one point behind them in qualifying—will take their place in Pool B. However, Spain also have a right to appeal within 14 days of the judgement, meaning the matter may yet have another twist.
News of their disqualification is crushing news for supporters in Spain, one of Europe's second-tier countries gradually beginning to embrace the sport. However, administrative error has again led to the country being denied their seat at the table among the World Cup's elite.
