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Thu 14 May 2015 | 05:13
Host selection process kicks off for Rugby World Cup 2023

14
Comments

The host selection process for Rugby World Cup 2023 has officially launched, with interested Unions having until 15 June 2015 to officially express their interest in hosting rugby's premier global event.

With the Rugby World Cup brand going from strength to strength ahead of a record-breaking England 2015 and ground-breaking Japan 2019 tournaments, formal interest is anticipated to be high and geographically wide.

As announced in March, the Rugby World Cup 2023 host union will be selected in May 2017 following a phased process. The successful country will have six years to work with tournament owners Rugby World Cup Limited to deliver the event and maximise the benefits of observing the delivery of Japan 2019.

So far Ireland, South Africa, Italy and France have publicly announced their hosting interest and with the process now officially open, World Rugby invites unions to confirm their interest.

World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Today represents an exciting and significant milestone in planning and preparation for Rugby World Cup 2023 and a date that officially kicks off starts the bidding journey for interested potential hosts unions.

"We are delighted with the strong level of interest from unions and governments at this early stage, which underscores the enormous hosting appeal of Rugby World Cup in the global sporting market place and we welcome further interest in the coming month."

To assist with the process, World Rugby has invited interested parties to attend a two-day information-sharing briefing in London on 4-5 June, 2015 and the biggest official observer programme to date during England 2015.

Previous Hosts:

1987 - New Zealand and Australia
1991 - England (pool games in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and France)
1995 - South Africa
1999 - Wales (pool games in Scotland, England, Ireland and France)
2003 - Australia
2007 - France
2011 - New Zealand
2015 - England
2019 - Japan
2023 - TBC

Italy and Argentina are the only Tier 1 nations to have never hosted a Rugby World Cup match. Of the current applicants, South Africa, who have won twice out of the five they competed in, last hosted in 1995, so you would think they could be a sensible choice.

Who do you think it should go to? Qatar is not an option.

Posted By: Grant Constable

14 Comments

  • tefovec
    12:56 PM 21/05/2015

    Yes, this would be so nice for us south americans.

  • eddie-g
    1:29 PM 18/05/2015

    I think that tends to happen in practice, and it is good when it does... so let's see more of it!

  • s_conner
    1:10 PM 18/05/2015

    Argentina would be a good host as a launchpad for south american rugby - Uruguay and Brazil rugby clubs would also benefit.

  • danknapp
    8:36 PM 17/05/2015

    This is a genuinely good idea. And all profits from those games should be kept in the second country, to be spent on grass roots rugby.

  • drg
    8:48 PM 16/05/2015

    I like your thinking on this one... Not sure on others opinions or how viable it is, but as others have pointed out England 2015 is not solely 'England' etc...

    Good idea!

  • finedisregard
    12:05 AM 16/05/2015

    Somebody new. USA did a great job in 94 with the world cup. Big stadiums, plenty of hotels, local culture, infrastructure etc.

  • reality
    11:13 PM 15/05/2015

    Of the candidates proposed, I think Italy is by far the best. SA has too many security problems, hosted it before and will be hosting a Lions tour around that time. Italy is a country where there's enough critical mass for there to be good interest and enough familiarity of rugby for it to be a success. It'd be great to see it in Ireland, but I think there'd be far more benefit in having it elsewhere.

    Having it in the USA (currently not an option) means having it in a country where most people don't even know the sport exists. Yeah, it might help to increase awareness, but I think having it somewhere where rugby is totally alien is a bit foolish because there'll be empty stadiums all over the place and the enthusiasm for it just won't be there. Then there are the geographic problems as well of having it as far away as possible from any rugby-playing country and having literally the whole rugby world travel to a different continent to see matches.

  • drg
    10:44 PM 15/05/2015

    Ireland should be a strong contender and at least it would be a gap between England 2015 and 2023. USA would be good to raise the interest in the game over there. Italy again, they're a nation that has been around for a while but has not really flourished, so maybe some high profile stuff there would do them a world of good.

    As others have said, an odd unexpected nation could be interesting;
    Afghanistan?
    Syria?

    *rolls eyes*

  • danknapp
    10:41 PM 15/05/2015

    It's a joke about the football world cup.

  • drg
    10:19 PM 15/05/2015

    Out of interest, why is Qatar not an option? Did I miss something?

  • nzbougnat
    7:46 PM 15/05/2015

    One might add games in Wales and Scotland in 2007 for the "France hosting". "Hobbit" not withstanding.

  • eddie-g
    2:45 PM 15/05/2015

    It'll be South Africa. Their bid will be backed by Sanzar, and the IRB won't wait more than 12 years for another southern hemisphere world cup. Be good though if they could get Argentina to host a few pool games - hopefully logistically possible.

    The real test for the IRB in terms of being adventurous will be Japan 2019. If that goes well, then hopefully a North American tournament will happen before too long, and no excuse not to take matches to Germany, Spain, Portugal the next time Europe hosts.

    By that time too, Sevens rugby at the Olympics will have helped spread the gospel even more.

  • dstreet
    12:42 AM 15/05/2015

    I was thinking how awesome it would be to see a game played at the Allianz! #FCB ;)

  • c_gillon
    6:52 PM 14/05/2015

    It has to be somewhere that rugby has the potential to grow. USA, Italy, Argentina, or even some of the nations where rugby is just starting to become popular - Brazil, Singapore, Germany

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