Canada complete Rugby World Cup 2019 line-up

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   Canada are the 20th and final qualifier for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan after beating Hong Kong 27-10 in the final match of the repechage tournament in Marseille on Friday. 

They take their place in Pool B alongside defending champions New Zealand, two-time winners South Africa, Italy and African qualifiers Namibia with their first match to be against the Azzurri in Fukuoka on 26 September, 2019.

The qualification process, which began in St Vincent and the Grenadines on 5 March, 2016, has involved 188 matches across 994 days with 10,355 points scored in total by the 71 teams who began with a dream of playing at RWC 2019 but which only USA, Uruguay, Russia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Namibia and Canada were able to realise.

Germany finished second in the repechage standings after recording a bonus-point 43-6 victory over Kenya in Friday's opening game. Hong Kong finished third with Kenya fourth.

Speaking from Marseille, World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: "Congratulations to Canada on their qualification and we look forward to seeing them at Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.

"This repechage tournament was a fitting climax to a truly global qualification process that featured 71 teams and it served-up some superb rugby. All four teams performed superbly and can be proud of what they have achieved."