GAA ground delays won’t scupper Rugby World Cup bid, insists Páraic Duffy

GAA Director General Paraic Duffy says Ireland’s 2023 Rugby World Cup bid will not be impacted by ongoing concerns over two of the Association’s stadia which will host games should the competition come here.

Crucial to the IRFU’s bid to stage the competition is the GAA’s decision to allow stadia in Dublin, Belfast, Thurles, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Castlebar to be used as part of a bid worth €250m to the economy.

The World Cup would also mean a serious windfall for Croke Park through rent of its properties — the GAA previously earned €36m in rental income from the IRFU and FAI between 2007 and 2010.