By AP
August 17th 2008 @ 12:25am
Ten countries vie to stage 2015, 2019 Rugby World Cups
Russia and Jamaica have joined Australia among a record 10 nations which have expressed interest in hosting the 2015 or 2019 Rugby World Cups.
The International Rugby Board hailed the “unprecedented response” on Friday to its call for bids to host the tournaments, including one from 85th-ranked Jamaica which has never played at a World Cup.
“This is tremendous news for Rugby World Cup,” IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset said.
“The fact that 10 member unions have signaled their intention to tender for the 2015 and 2019 tournaments reflects the growing global prestige of the Rugby World Cup.
“Five of the six IRB regions are represented, with Italy, Jamaica and Russia signaling an interest to tender for a Rugby World Cup for the first time. Such a response highlights the growing development and popularity of rugby across the world.”
Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales have confirmed an interest in hosting Rugby World Cup 2015, while Australia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Russia, Scotland, South Africa and Wales submitted expressions of interest in tendering for the 2019 tournament, Lapasset said.
The 10 unions have until May 8, 2009 to submit detailed tender documents to Rugby World Cup Limited and will be invited to make presentations to the IRB council later that month.
The host unions for the 2015 and 2019 tournaments will be selected at a special meeting of the IRB council on July 28, 2009.
“The strong response also justifies the IRB’s move to award two tournaments at the same time,” Lapasset said.
“This provides longer term certainty for the hosts, Rugby World Cup Limited and the tournament’s commercial partners. It also ensures that future development investment initiatives in the game worldwide can continue to be underwritten by the tournament and planned accordingly.”
New Zealand will host the 2011 tournament.
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True Tah said | August 17th 2008 @ 10:35am | Report comment
Good to see Ireland and Italy involved in both bids, I really hope that these are one country bids, the whoring of the Celtic unions really annoys me.
Can’t believe Jamaica submitted a bid though, to be honest I reckon this a bit of a joke.
bailey said | August 17th 2008 @ 5:56pm | Report comment
I hope Australia get it, the last world cup they held was bloody marvellous!!!!!
Paul said | August 17th 2008 @ 10:22pm | Report comment
Both Ireland and Japan could pull it off. Others could aswell, but I would like to see either of these two. Japan could help our tri nations become 5 nations with Argentina
Dublin Dave said | August 17th 2008 @ 10:45pm | Report comment
It’s very early days yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised that if Ireland were serious about it they might team up with one of their Celtic neighbours, more likely Scotland, to host the event.
Let me be the first to agree that splitting the tournament between four or five countries as was done in the past, or allowing one-off matches to be played in countries that otherwise have nothing to do with the tournament is wrong, bad for generating the buzz and momentum that a tournament needs and unfair on travelling supporters.
But splitting it between two small neighbouring countries does no harm at all. Austria and Switzerland combined this summer to host an excellent European soccer championship. Belgium and Holland did it eight years ago.
Scoping the size of crowds expected and matching them to available stadia is going to be the challenge. Scotland has some excellent stadia, assuming rugby would have access to its soccer grounds. If the tournament was to be held today you could call on four sizable all-seater stadia in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Celtic Park, Ibrox Park (home of Rangers) and Hampden park in Glasgow and of course Murrayfield in Edinburgh. This might mean a little congestion in the Glasgow-edinburgh corridor but then, that’s where most of the Scottish population lives anyway.
Ireland will have two world class stadia in a few years time, both in Dublin. Croke Park (80,000 plus) and the new Lansdowne Road (50,000 all seater). The newly redeveloped Thomond Park in Limerick is in the heart of Ireland’s rugby fanatic territory and although it’s only about 25,000 capacity it could probably be extended if they knew there was a world cup coming.
Ravenhill in Ulster is way too old and way too small but I know there are plans to build a new international class multisport stadium in Belfast. Assuming the former deadly enemies can agree on how to spend the British tax payer’s money.
The real challenge for Ireland will be to secure the rights to grounds owned by the GAA. I won’t bore you with the tedium of Ireland’s internecine sporting politics but in a nutshell many in the GAA are unwilling to let thier grounds be used by sports with an international appeal. They fear, not unreasonably, that youngsters’ heads may be turned towards playing sports with a global following at the expense of playing sports where they can only represent their local community, club or county.
But if you could get access to four top class stadia in each country (Ireland and Scotland) you could host a wonderful competition. Two qualifying groups located in each country, the semi finals split between each with one getting the final and the other the third place play off. After all, Scotland and Ireland are not so far apart. I’m told that at the nearest point you can see one country from the other on a clear day.
Mind you a clear day in north-east Ulster…….there’s the rub.
Mark H said | August 18th 2008 @ 10:59am | Report comment
Japan or the USA. If the IRB is serious, it needs to move out of the norm locations. The UK, Ireland and France shouldnt even get a look in for the next few.
True Tah said | August 18th 2008 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Europe has had 50% of the world cups to date, and it is time to expand outside of the Home Countries.
I think that the decision to award to NZ in 2011 was the right one…it will probably be their last chance to ever host one.
Im in two minds about the Japanese, they haven’t made any progress on the playing field and I fear the Japanese population generally reject rugby anyhow.
However, the way that votes are allocated is a joke, as the bloody Celtic Unions control 30% of the votes, that way they can solicit votes from other European nations to get extra crowds.
The most democratic way is to allocate each region one vote.
We would have CONSUR (S.America), CAR (Africa), NAWIRA (N.America), ARFU (Asia), FORU (Pacific) and Europe each having one vote, with the chairman getting th casting vote.
Dave, Im not sure about having world cup games in Scotland…the game is really struggling in Scotland, and I remember in 1999 some of the games involving Scotland were virtually empty! There is a good chance the pro game will be extinct in Scotland by 2015.
Mark H said | August 18th 2008 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
True Tah,
I’ll agree to that. Europe has too much pull. Its all about the coin for them, lets face it. If we want the game to expand and I think just about everyone does, we have to get it out there. Take a chance. I recon the country that gets it will get behind it.
The IRBs costing is silly. It needs to have a good think about it. If it maintains that line, only the Europeans will get it and that good for nobody. If the West Indies want it, why not I say. Might be a bit hot though. However, we need to get it into places that can handle it ie Japan, USA, Canada, Italy, Russia even China.
Politics aside, its about the game for mine. I dont care where it is but it has to be viable and supported. Id rather go somewhere different.
True Tah said | August 18th 2008 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
Mark,
good on the West Indies for putting their hand in, I think they’re a long shot though.
Maybe with the stadiums for the Cricket World Cup they want to use them.
If you want to get into the US market, its a good timezone, and I reckon heaps of supporters would go to watch games, I personally would.
Mark H said | August 18th 2008 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
True Tah,
I was there during the Super 14s finals and mate let me tell you. NYC knows Rugby. I watched it online at a mates place. I even managed to convert a couple of guys (even the game Sharks v Tahs..6am NYC time), it was a big night. The TV market there is massive, heaps of grounds and travel is easy. The IRB really should be looking there.
So as for the Europeans, expansion should be the idea not what we already know. 6 nations countries arnt going away. Even the Argies should be given it. Maybe its harder then said, I dont know but I recon that if they need admin support, then thats what the IRB was for.
Dublin Dave said | August 19th 2008 @ 12:49am | Report comment
True Tah
The shambles that was the 1999 world cup cannot be laid completely at Scotland’s door. It was badly planned, badly organised and badly marketed. I think the game in general has realised that splitting it between five countries as it then was, and only playing at the weekend, is the wrong way to organise a tournament.
Splitting the games between so many countries destroyed momentum. Planning matches so that they clashed with other sporting events was folly. For example, I live within shouting distance of Lansdowne Rd. I might have gone along to the USA Romania match held there, which turned out to be a really close game. However, it clashed with a vital soccer qualifier for the Euro 2000 tournament on which almost the entire sporting attention of the country was focussed. So I didn’t get to see it. Mind you, only 3,000 did.
Don’t write off Scottish rugby just yet. They have their problems but there is a great tradition of the game in that country and they will be back. From the point of view of hosting, or jointly hosting, a tournament of the size of the RWC, they have the stadia. And there is no better town to visit for a rugby weekend than Edinburgh.
Trust me. I’m speaking from experience here.
Steffy said | August 19th 2008 @ 1:20am | Report comment
Jamaica would be ideal. They would have to pay the IRB £120 million for the rights to host the tournament but could easily recoup that through ticket sales. Jamaica is one of the wealthiest countries in the world so the locals will think nothing of paying many 100s of dollars for, for example, a pool game.
Sam Taulelei said | August 19th 2008 @ 1:45am | Report comment
Just a thought I had, with the world cup now operating within a fixed window of September and October this would present a logistical challenge for Australia if they were successful in hosting it again. Unlike the 2003 tournament, this window would be in direct competition with the NRL and AFL finals series and it will take some skilful negotiating with the two rival codes in securing the bigger venues available in Australia for the world cup.
Benjamin said | August 19th 2008 @ 3:21am | Report comment
Steffy, the league WC might as well be in Jamaica for all the coverage it’s going to get.
Benjamin said | August 19th 2008 @ 3:40am | Report comment
Exactly, what is a league WC?
However, if you are referring to the abbreviation - WC. It means World Cup.
Steffy said | August 19th 2008 @ 3:58am | Report comment
What does that have to do with the union world cup and Jamaica?
Benjamin said | August 19th 2008 @ 4:04am | Report comment
Probably just about as much as your sarcastic comment about the wealth of Jamaica.
Benjamin said | August 19th 2008 @ 4:26am | Report comment
Did you not pay much attention in Geography then Steffy? Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit btw. And yes, I am fully aware that my introducting sentence is sarcastic.
If you are so disdainful of union why not just spend your typing-time on the league threads?
Zolton said | August 19th 2008 @ 4:37am | Report comment
Steffy, please contribute meaningfully to this thread or not at all. Thanks, Zolton
Steffy said | August 19th 2008 @ 4:39am | Report comment
I take it you are all for Jamaica hosting the 2019 union world cup.
Benjamin said | August 19th 2008 @ 4:42am | Report comment
Well obviously it isn’t particularly realistic but it’s still quite inspiring that a nation like Jamaica would even consider making a bid. I doubt people would have believed it in 1987.