(Reuters) - Georgia and Spain have become the first two European teams to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia after reaching the Europe Championship semi-finals.
Spain have qualified for the first time since 1999 while Georgia, a side that made their World Cup debut in 2003, have secured their place for the seventh consecutive time.
With their qualification, the total number of teams who have secured places at the tournament so far now stands at 14.
Two more European teams have a chance to qualify for the new-look World Cup with the outcome dependent on the result of the match between Portugal and Germany later on Sunday.
The 2027 World Cup has teams competing in a different format, with the tournament expanding from 20 to 24 and split into six first-round groups containing four sides each.
(Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
