Rugby World Cup 2023 bid

This is really starting to get a bit of steam behind it now with the potential stadiums being announced (despite a few noses being put of joint in Thurles).

Lansdowne Road (Dublin)
RDS (Dublin)
Croke Park (Dublin)
Ravenhill (Belfast)
Casement Park (Belfast)
Thomond Park (Limerick)
Pairc Ui Chaoimh (Cork)
Fitzgerald Stadium (Kerry)
Pearse Stadium (Galway)
McHale Park (Mayo)
Nowlan Park (Kilkenny)
Celtic Park (Derry)

It really would be fabulous for the country. It's just about the biggest sporting event we could ever host this side of ending partition, or having a single football team for the island. We would lay on a hell of a party

I'm sure that list can change if we get it and I would hope if we do that there would be real investment in a few new venues around the country rather than piggy backing on the GAA for 2 thirds of the bid (Derry and Galway look like really good candidates for new stadiums to go up). But I guess that sort of thing can't be promised this side of winning the bid in case we don't win it so no way to know if it's something the powers that be have in mind.

What about Thurles? Never been to it but my GAA buddies say it's great.

The Pairc Ui Chaoimh is back opened after renovations. Pronounced "Park of Champions", it would be on the small side to host a World Cup event.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/video/...ry-455520.html

This is apparently being announced next month on the 15th? Read this nice breakdown on the Times of how it might go:

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rug...from-1.3234292

I guess a lot comes down to the official recommendation, but even if all parties voted on expected lines, Ireland should be in a decent position. 3 from England, Wales, Scotland, others from North America, Asia, maybe Japan, Canada, the US. France and SA would split the others fairly evenly I think. I assume if no one hits 20 in the first ballot the lowest would be removed and they'd vote again?

Wales will only vote for us provided they get games in Cardiff. Watch as they sway to France.

South Africa the officially recommended bid: https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/...a-recommended/

I'm given to understand this essentially torpedos the other bids.

I think that 5 stadiums in 2 cities did not help the bid, would have better if spread out a bit more. Perhaps adding in venues in Donegal and Waterford for example.

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Originally Posted by TheBoss

I think that 5 stadiums in 2 cities did not help the bid, would have better if spread out a bit more. Perhaps adding in venues in Donegal and Waterford for example.

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we were deluding ourselves a little. we have a shaky transport system at best (watch the carnage when there are no trains or dart on the day of the Denmark match!), our hotels will rip off every fan that would have come over, we don't have enough big stadiums while at the same time I also believe we would struggle to sell out smaller group matches in anycase. we are great at supporting our county / province / club for the big matches only but desperate at attending lower profile matches especially when neutrals are playing. putting most of our eggs on the "sure the Irish are great craic" basket was never going to work

Margin of 6% or so between 1st and 3rd, but Ireland was the lowest ranked bid: https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sport/rugb...cid=spartanntp

When you look at it it's mad the bid was dependent on so many GAA stadia. Whatever money is spent ends up benefiting another sport altogether, that 99% of the time bans you from using their grounds.

At least sorting Connacht out with a decent ground would have given some sort of legacy.

Some of the comments from those behind the bid are a bit strange. One guy says our bid is just fine "leaving aside the issue of stadia". Yeah, because that's nothing important, right?

I do think it's a shame though, because with the right planning and application, we're well capable of doing it, and if it was done successfully, whose to say what we might have been capable of putting a bid in for after?. But people are right to question issues of legacy and infrastructure. Like a lot of bidding processes, it seemed to be just hand-waved away.

A lot of disappointed hoteliers, restaurateurs, pubs owners and airlines, let alone the rugby fraternity. Shame. Would have been good for the economy but can't get too excited at my age at something 6 years down the road :)

Imagine a video containing Shane Ross, Drico, Leo and Dick Spring and endless amounts of hyperbole coming across as repellent.

We'd never have been able to host it. Right decision, if indeed we don't get it.

As mentioned, the biggest issue is public transport. Can you imagine a couple of thousand Aussies trying to pack onto Bus Eireann buses to get from Derry to Dublin? Even 150 Japanese fans to get from Galway to Killarney would be a nightmare.

There's no decent road infrastructure, no decent railway network, Bus Eireann is an abomination, air travel around the country is incredibly difficult and expensive, and adding upwards of 100,000 visitors and enormous numbers of media to the country would crash an already terrible telecommunications system nationwide.

We're not equipped to host a major sporting event of that level by any stretch.

Less said about GAA stadia the better.

Nice skewering of the bid here: https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sport/rugb...cid=spartanntp

I wasn't fully aware of how fantastical the figures being thrown around were in terms of potential profit. Isn't it almost impossible nowadays for a major sporting tournament to turn a recognizable profit for the host country? Even in terms of tourist influx, it gets offset by people who decide not to visit the country to avoid the tournament.

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Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Nice skewering of the bid here: https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sport/rugb...cid=spartanntp

I wasn't fully aware of how fantastical the figures being thrown around were in terms of potential profit. Isn't it almost impossible nowadays for a major sporting tournament to turn a recognizable profit for the host country? Even in terms of tourist influx, it gets offset by people who decide not to visit the country to avoid the tournament.

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Have never noticed this fella before, Ewan MacKenna, but this and the Humphries article during the week, he is pretty good............

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Originally Posted by bennocelt

Have never noticed this fella before, Ewan MacKenna, but this and the Humphries article during the week, he is pretty good............

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Ewan MacKenna is pretty good. He cuts through a lot of the bull**** in modern sport and asks the right questions. I always enjoy reading what he has to say. Here's his blog if you're interested: https://ewanmackenna.wordpress.com

Some media outlets today claiming that this isn't as sown up as it would appear, and that it might fall apart for South Africa very quickly if they don't get the 20 needed votes in the first ballot. Don't know if that's realistic or just clickbait for the day that is in it. I presume the lowest bid is eliminated after the first round if there is no overall winner? If Ireland pipped France and then got their votes in a second ballot: not the most outlandish scenario.

And France win it. Huh. I'm given to understand this is a rather mortifying result for the governing body.

Edit: First Ballot - France 18, SA 13, Ireland 8(!)
Second ballot - France 24, SA 18

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/...world-cup-bid/

That's a bad return for Ireland you have to say, relative to what they were trumpeting.

Someone was telling the IRFU porkies.

Apparently the RFU voted for us, as did the American, so that's 5 votes.