Rugby World Cup bid being considered
The 2023 Rugby World Cup Finals could be held in Ireland.  Over the next twelve months the IRFU is to conduct a feasibility study ahead of a possible bid to host the next available tournament.
The Government has given supportive signals according to reports over the weekend and Minister Leo Varadkar is likely to meet with Rugby bosses in the coming weeks to be updated on the feasibility of a bid.
It is probable the International Rugby Board would require the government to underwrite some or all of the costs of the tournament, estimated to be in the region of €120 million, as is the case in Japan who will host the tournament in 2019.
One major plus is that much of the required infrastructure is in place or planned to be.  The Aviva Stadium, the RDS Arena, Croke Park, Thomond Park and Ravenhill will all be equipped to host games.  The New Zealand World Cup held last year used twelve host venues with capacities ranging from 15,000 to 60,000.
Lansdowne Road hosted four games, including one semi final in the co-hosted Finals of 1991.  The Finals will be held in England in 2015.
Sligo Rovers to meet with fans
Fans of Sligo Rovers will gather in the town’s Clarion Hotel tonight at 8.30pm to hear the clubs plans for the season ahead, and be given an update on the vacant manager’s position.  The club will close the application process for that role before the meeting and it is thought that around 40 candidates have expressed an interest in replacing Paul Cook who left for Accrington Stanley last week.
Sligo are expected to be the most serious challengers to Shamrock Rovers in the Airtricity Premier League which gets under way next Friday week.  The club’s pre-season form has been strong with the latest result a 3-0 win over Athlone Town.
Reports suggest a new manager is likely to be in place ahead of the start of the season and an announcement is also expected this week on a new club sponsorship deal with a ‘multinational blue chip’ partner.
Seat signed up as the club sponsor of Shamrock Rovers in December while Fyffes announced last week that they would be partnering with Dundalk.
Chinese leader tries hand at hurling
Xi Jingping, the Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China, tried his hand at hurling during a weekend visit to Croke Park.
He was treated to a demonstration of Gaelic football and hurling on the Croke Park pitch by children from Round Towers, Clondalkin and Whitehall Colmcilles GAA clubs, and then went on a tour of the stadium before taking to the pitch himself and pucking a ball a respectable distance before kicking a football towards the Hill 16 end.
There are 26 GAA clubs registered in Asia, including in Beijing, Shanghai, Canton and Shenzhen in China.  The Asia County Board is supported by ESB International, the Kerry Group, Enterprise Ireland, Guinness and PCH International.
Ireland is the only European country to feature on the schedule of Xi Jingping who is expected to become the most powerful politician in China. The BBC website described hurling as a form of hockey in it’s report of the visit.
Alcohol Sponsorship receives boost from Minister
Minister for Sport Michael Ring suggested in an interview with yesterday’s Sunday Business Post that the current economic climate made a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sporting and cultural events unlikely.
He was the first Government minister to publicly comment on the report issued ten days ago by a review group suggesting such sponsorship should be phased out by 2016.
 
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