Irish Examiner view: World Cup is the ‘golden nugget’

Hosts will have a period to prepare and to warm up the American public to fully enjoy one of the world’s great sporting competitions

 South Africa's RG Snyman celebrates with Rassie Erasmus after the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final.

The decision to award the United States the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031, and the women’s tournament two years later, is a sure-fire winner, a certain thing, a slam dunk which may move the game onto an entirely higher plane.

While organisers are already predicting ticket receipts of more than €950m, compared to €400m from Japan in 2019, the hosts will have a sensible period to prepare and to warm up the American public to fully enjoy one of the world’s great sporting competitions.

This is likely to mean a number of innovations and changes to existing formats and practices including an alteration to timetable to ensure that there is no clash with the NFL season which usually begins in early September.

While the decision is bold considering that the US has not yet qualified for France next year (they have a double header against Chile in July) the United States market is regarded as “the golden nugget” by World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont. The country has 28 venues which are capable of holding more than 60,000 spectators and 48 games around the nation should quicken the pulses, particularly if each visiting team is matched with an NFL franchise. There is a population of 360m who may come to be thrilled and entertained by rugby union.

A trip to America will hold no fears for Ireland given the levels of ex-pat support, and the memories of that thunderous encounter with the All Blacks on November 5 in 2016 at Soldier Field in Chicago. That still stirs the blood and always will. Major League Rugby can rub its hands in expectation of a one way ticket to growth.