The number of automatic qualifiers for the Rugby World Cup will increase from eight to 12 from 2011 to "increase the profile of one of the world's largest sporting events".

A secondary tournament for smaller unions, to take place a year before the world cup, will also be introduced with the "added incentive of qualification to Rugby World Cup".

Announcing the changes, agreed by the Rugby World Cup Board (RWC Board), the International Rugby Board (IRB) said that they would reduce fixture congestion for sides that failed to reach the quarter-finals of the preceding tournament.

The changes mean that the second tier teams have it all to play for in France this September and October.

"In recognition of the amount of Rugby now being played and the implications on the establishment of an integrated season the RWC Board has decided that there should be 12 automatic qualifying places for future tournaments," said IRB Chairman, Dr Syd Millar today.

"This will serve to reduce the potential number of international matches that would have to be played in the years before a tournament by those teams who did not make the quarter-finals of the previous RWC, reducing fixture congestion.

"With the top three teams in each pool qualifying directly to the next RWC this new process raises the prospect of several Tier 2 Unions obtaining automatic qualification. This does not happen at present and it will add excitement and relevance to more pool matches at each tournament, including RWC 2007," added Dr Millar.

It is hoped that the introduction of a World Trophy a year before the World Cup will allow for an appropriate level of competition for second and third tier unions.

"The World Trophy tournament, played at one venue, with places determined from the regional championship competitions will be highly competitive," added Dr Millar. "The tournament along with the upgrading of the regional championships will replace the existing qualifying process that has in the past duplicated existing match schedules and the repechage process that sees teams qualify very late in the lead up to RWC."

At the moment 20 teams take part in the World Cup but this figure is under review, as are the world rankings that determine the seedings and draw for the tournament.

The 2011 World Cup is to be held in New Zealand. The tender process for the host Union of Rugby World Cup 2015 will begin in 2008.