On July 28th 2009 a decision will be made that may not only decide where the 2015 rugby World Cup will be, but it may also decide the future of World Rugby.
Thus far, the World Cup has been held in England, Wales, France, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It will be held once more in New Zealand next year but it is after that where the IRB really need to look ahead and not just to 2015.
The countries that wish to host the World Cup in 2015 are South Africa, Japan, England and Italy. In my opinion it has got go to either Japan or Italy. Both can provide the stadiums and support to host such a tournament and it should not go to any of the big guns as it always has done.
Imagine, for example, the euphoria if held in the far east. Remember the football World Cup and Olympics of recent times. Large sporting events are practically bred for these far eastern countries becuase they can and always will deliver.
Imagine what this would do for countries yet untouched by rugby civilisation. It would create mass rugby exposure at a whole new level, let us be honest, the Rugby World Cup is in itself a massive event, but should coverage be held in Japan it would almost be a rugby epidemic that will reach to new heights.
Children from those areas will look up to the sport, will view rugby as the new social outlet, and, for the future, will create more players from different backgrounds with different skills. The next few world cups should be handed to these other countries so that the game as a whole can develop, imagine Rugby being played in the streets of Argentina like football is played in Brazilian streets, imagine the whole of Japan turning out to watch their local heroes play on home soil.
So for World Rugby’s sake please – IRB – let someone else have a go!
The top 10 online bookmakers currently make South Africa as favourites and England, as they will also be bidding for the FIFA World Cup in 2018.