Ireland join record number of applicants bidding to stage World Cup

IRELAND is among the record number of countries who have confirmed their intention for the right to host the Rugby World Cup either in 2015 or 2019.

The 2011 tournament will be held in New Zealand and traditionally, the next tournament would normally revert back to the northern hemisphere.

But the failure of Japan to win the rights for the 2011 competition, after controversially losing the vote to New Zealand, is expected to make the Japanese more determined than ever to host one of the world’s biggest sporting occasions next time around.

The International Rugby Board, the owner of Rugby World Cup, confirmed that Ireland, Australia, England, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales have confirmed their intention to tender for Rugby World Cup 2015, while Russia and all the above nations (with the exception England and Scotland) also formally confirmed their commitment to host the 2019 event. The deadline to confirm intention to tender was Tuesday.

Each Union had six weeks to review in detail the Rugby World Cup tender document before formally expressing their intention. Only Jamaica has opted not to continue with a bid to host a RWC tournament.

“This strong response is unprecedented and truly reflects the global attraction of the Rugby World Cup. It also reflects the significant economic benefits that accompany the hosting of a tournament that has grown in stature and prominence as a global event,” said IRB Chairman, Bernard Lapasset.

The 10 unions now have until May 8, 2009, to submit their detailed tender responses to RWCL. The responses will then be reviewed before the tender unions will be invited to make a presentation to the IRB Council.

The Host Unions for the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups will be selected at a special meeting of the IRB Council on July 28, 2009.