Rugby Matters - A weekly look at the game's other talking points, by Brendan Gallagher

Qualification for the Rugby World Cup from Rugby Europe – those European nations outside the Six Nations – has traditionally taken two long seasons of 10 matches or more and involved endless controversy, bitter accusations, World Rugby tribunals, disciplinary committees and, for some, disgrace and heartache.
This time round though it could all be over bar the shouting in slightly more than two weeks.
The expansion of the World Cup from 20 to 24 teams means that Europe – a growth area in the game despite ...