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As expected, Germany will fight Canada and Hong Kong for the final spot in next year’s Rugby World Cup.

Germany lost to Samoa 42-28 Saturday in Heidelberg, locking the two-match aggregate points series in the Pacific Islanders’ favour. Samoa had won 66-15 two weeks before in the first leg, played in Apia.

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Going into the series, Samoa were heavy favourites because of the depth of their squad, fully stocked with professionals. The Germans, on the other hand, are mostly a semi-professional group, drawn heavily from the ranks of Germany’s club competitions.

Saturday’s game was tight for nearly 75 minutes, before the Samoans grabbed two late tries to take it.

Germany now joins Canada, Hong Kong, and the runner-up in the ongoing Africa Gold Cup in a final qualifying tournament next November in Marseille.

Canada announced this week what they’re going to do to prepare their domestic-based players for this fall’s crucial tournament — Canada has never missed a Rugby World Cup — and we also learned that Hong Kong will be in the tournament as well, after they handily brushed aside the Cook Islands.

The as-yet unknown African team is now almost certain to be Kenya, though a loss for the Kenyans on Aug. 11 to Tunisia — tough to say, but both Kenya and Tunisia are holders of narrow wins versus Zimbabwe, but Kenya shattered Tunisia last year 100-10 — would make things much murkier.

2019 Rugby World Cup Pools

Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa

Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, Repechage winner

Pool C: England, France, Argentina, United States, Tonga

Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay