Comments made by the Head of the International Rugby Board have been read as a positive for the potential of Ireland hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2023.
When asked in New Zealand about the prospect of the United States hosting a Rugby World Cup in the next few outings Brett Gosper said that “The United States is not yet ready to host a Rugby World Cup and needs to establish a sustainable professional league to help develop the sport there.”
England will host the 2015 event, the eighth time it has been held within what could be termed as the traditional heartland of the sport.
In 2019 it will go to Japan but the strong indications are that it will then return to one of the more traditional host nations, and Ireland has already begun its campaign to bring the tournament here.
Gosper said that by awarding the 2019 tournament to Asia, it was likely the subsequent event would return to a traditional rugby market before the IRB looked to expand into newer areas.
This may then be a one shot opportunity for the IRFU but with the GAA already paving the way for use of its stadia around the country there should not be a stumbling block from a logistical perspective.
There are likely to be competing bids from Argentina and possibly Canada but at this stage Ireland must be considered to be a favourite.
It makes the spotlight on management, security and ticketing for next month’s Heineken and Amlin Cup Finals more important than ever to get right.
After that the sporting and business communities on the island will have a tangible target to aim at in terms of Ireland hosting it’s largest ever sporting event.
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