Schmidt says World Cup offers All-Ireland gains

The whole island of Ireland would reap the benefits of a successful bid to stage the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Irish coach Joe Schmidt has said.

The man who guided the national side to glory in the RBS Six Nations this season highlighted the key role Northern Ireland could play in securing the tournament as he and the team were hosted at a special reception at Stormont in Belfast last night.

While the reception was held to mark the nerve-shredding triumph in March, many eyes were focused nine years hence and on the potential of a cross-border World Cup.