World Cup ‘homecoming’

Hugo MacNeill believes staging a Rugby World Cup in Ireland in 2023 would take the game back to "the heart of rugby".

The chairman of Ireland’s bid team, flanked by politicians, Irish players and IRFU officials, outlined ambitious plans to host the tenth Rugby World Cup on the island at a press conference in Armagh yesterday.

If successful, the tournament would be run on a cross-border basis, with GAA stadia being used in conjunction with the Aviva Stadium, Thomond Park and Kingspan Stadium.