England is likely to be chosen to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015, giving them a great chance to successfully defend their title on home soil.
I’m getting slightly ahead of myself, but you never know. The final decision will be made on 28th July, but England has been backed by Rugby World Cup Limited, and of course, England will need to win in 2011 in New Zealand in order to have a title to defend.
Regardless, this is great news for England and for the sport as a whole, whose coffers will be filled by a very lucrative event, with matches to be played at Twickenham, Wembley, Old Trafford and the Emirates.
Further good news is that Japan is likely to be chosen to host the event in 2019, which will give that area of the world the opportunity to develop (more so than hosting the final of the Bledisloe Cup).
Let me know your thoughts? Is a World Cup in England a good idea? Or are you of the opinion that the London 2012 Olympics is going to be a disaster?
I most certainly am not, and cannot wait for this wondrous event to arrive on our doorstep.
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Hopefully the IRB will correct their last mistake of letting NZ host in 2011 and make Japan hosts in 2019. Rugby needs more of rugby’s smaller nations, like Japan, Italy and the USA to host the tournament if the game is going to grow.
i think england will put on a great world cup. i hope the event will be spread around the country, not just the big stadia in the largest cities, and that the tickets are not at rip-off prices. it’s all very well blathering on about ’70 per cent of the tickets cost £20 or less’ or some such claim, but for the england games and the knock-outs i fear the organisers won’t be able to resist the pull of market forces and hike up the prices accordingly. look at the ashes this summer – £95 for a decent seat at lord’s.
perhaps we should start a prediction competition for the cheapest face-value ticket for the RWC final 2015. i’ll go £295. ridiculous? absolutely! but people would pay it. i paid £200ish in 2007, albeit that wasn’t face value. i didn’t relish paying that much, but the lure of a world cup final is strong…
delighted about japan’s bid looking good for 2019, i was firmly behind them getting 2011. little interest in going to nz at this stage – either they’ll finally win it after 24 years failure, and then be insufferable, or they’ll commit the mother of all chokes and i will be in danger of my life through laughing at them. and as an england fan i’m not sure one could really book to be there after the quarters and have any realistic prospect of seeing my team in action…
I agree Tom, they should spread the games around. Pointless using a 50k+ stadium for Canada vs Japan. Don’t like the idea of subsidizing rich football clubs when you can help out rugby clubs. If the RFU were smart, they would use this as a bargaining chip with the prem clubs. I’ll never forget the atmosphere at Welford Road in 91, Italy vs AB’s. Tremendous game appreciated by a rugby mad crowd of mostly neutrals. I don’t know if I could bring myself to go to Old Trafford or whatever the other one will be called by then.