Samoa and Hong Kong have withdrawn from qualifying for this year's 15-a-side women's Rugby World Cup because of COVID-19 issues.
Lakapi Samoa will no longer send a team to the Final Qualification Tournament, which is due to take place in Dubai next month.
The fact anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 outside of Samoa cannot return for six months and worries over players based in New Zealand not being assured of quarantine places after the tournament were both cited as reasons for Samoa's withdrawal.
The Hong Kong Rugby Union has pulled out of the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship, which offered qualification through to the last-chance qualifier, again citing coronavrius concerns.
Hong Kong's withdrawal means the tournament will not take place and Kazakhstan advance to the Final Qualification Tournament.
Kazakhstan and Colombia are to meet in a semi-final, with the winner to take on Scotland for a place in the World Cup.
New Zealand is due to hold the World Cup from October 8 to November 12 this year, following the event's 12-month postponement over COVID-19.
Only one berth is yet to be decided and is on offer at the Final Qualification Tournament from February 19 to 25.