Japan eyes Rugby World Cup

Japan is planning to bid for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

If successful, it would be the first time that the tournament, the world’s third most-watched sporting event behind the Olympics and football’s World Cup, would be held outside one of rugby’s traditional strongholds.

“Until now, the World Cup has been held in countries from the Six Nations or Tri-Nations tournaments,” Japan Rugby Football Union secretary Koji Tokumasu told the Sydney Morning Herald today.

“We think, and the IRB (International Rugby Board) thinks, that it is time for rugby to go global.

“Japan is ready to host the tournament and we are looking forward to welcoming the world of rugby to Japan.”

New Zealand and Australia staged the inaugural 1987 tournament with Britain, Ireland and France hosting the 1991 edition.

The 1995 World Cup was staged in South Africa and the tournament returned to Britain, Ireland and France four years later.

Australia hosted last year’s competition which England won.

The 2007 World Cup will be hosted by France, with two matches scheduled for Wales.

Tokumasu added that the 2002 soccer World Cup, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, had been a huge success.

He added: “As well as having the infrastructure in place, Japan also has the commercial clout to host one of sport’s top competitions.”

Last year, Japan launched a professional rugby league and it has the fourth largest number of registered players (125,508) in the world after England, South Africa and France.