Semple Stadium omission from Rugby World Cup bid plans is ‘sickening’

Tipperary GAA chiefs have expressed disappointment that Semple Stadium has been omitted from the stadia comprising Ireland’s 2023 Rugby World Cup bid, as TDs from the county are set to demand answers for its omission.

Fianna Fáil’s Jackie Cahill and Labour’s Alan Kelly are looking for clarification after the GAA’s second biggest stadium was not included on the list. Cahill aims to raise the issue in the Dáil today after describing the snub as “incomprehensible”, while Kelly said the decision to omit the Thurles venue from the provisional list of 12 revealed yesterday is “beyond comprehension”.

While county board secretary Tim Floyd was more philosophical about the decision, he admitted the news had taken him by surprise.