Irb Confirms Record Bids For Rwc

Following the 8 May deadline to submit bids for the Rugby World Cup 2015 or 2019, the International Rugby Board has confirmed that receiving four Unions officially submitting applications – England, Italy, Japan, and South Africa – resulted in a record for tournament bid response.

All nations, with the exception of England, have confirmed intention to bid for both the 2015 and 2019 tournament, making it the highest amount of official response the IRB has ever received, according to Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

‘We are delighted to have countries of the calibre of England, Italy, Japan and South Africa bidding for the right to host a Rugby World Cup. The unprecedented response, a record for Rugby World Cup, reflects the growing global prestige of a tournament that is established as the world’s third-largest sporting event,’ Lapasset said.

The next step of the process will see each of the bidders outline their proposal in a 30 minute presentation to the IRB Council in Dublin this week.

The presentations will serve as a jumping-off point for a detailed analysis, which includes independent financial and commercial evaluation, before the IRB announces the Host Unions for Rugby World Cup 2015 and Rugby World Cup 2019 on July 28.

After officially submitting its bid last week, England has been deemed the favourite for 2015, but is facing criticism for going ahead with the application, despite the rigorous financial requirements.

Japan joined Italy, South Africa, and England in officially bidding on the deadline day, becoming an early favourite for 2019.