RWC 2015 Hosts England

The 2015 Rugby World Cup will be the eigth Rugby World Cup. At a meeting of the International Rugby Board (IRB) held in Dublin in May 2009, Four Unions presented their bids to be hosts, they were England, Italy, Japan and South Africa. Each presentation lasted 30 minutes and they included high power names from the game such as; Two Rugby World Cup winners, former captain Lawrence Dallagio and centre Will Greenwood for England's bid presentation, while Italy captain Sergio Parisse, Japan coach John Kirwan and former Springbok captain Morne du Plessis were involved in their respective Union's presentations as well. Following this the decision date was set as the 28 July 2009 in Dublin, Ireland.

Decision Result

England have fought off rival bids from South Africa, Japan and Italy to win the right to stage the 2015 Rugby World Cup. It will be the second time England have hosted the competition, the last time being in 1991. The IRB voted 16-10 in favour of rubber-stamping the recommendation from Rugby World Cup Ltd (RWCL) that England should be named hosts. The announcement by IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset had been widely expected after RWCL, the IRB-controlled company that oversees the tournaments, last month endorsed England and Japan as the strongest bidders, thought the announcement was delayed by an hour leading watchers to wonder if they out come would be different.

Rugby Football Union (RFU) chairman Martyn Thomas said (quote) We have been trusted with making a great competition and providing a great spectacle, and delivering what the IRB needs in terms of host revenue, Australia did an immense job [in 2003], France raised the bar [in 2007] and we have got to raise it again. We have got some very iconic stadia and it will be tremendous for world rugby and immense for participation in England. (end quote)

The RFU says England will lay on the biggest World Cup to date, generating a surplus at least £60m larger than that of the other bids. Between the event's running dates from 4 September to 17 October it says three million people will watch the games live at stadiums across the country.

2015 RWC News

RWC 2015 England 2019 Japan - So the decision has been made and as widely predicted England have been awarded the 2015 competition with Twickenham to host the final

2015 & 2019 Decision day Tuesday - Well they day is almost here and all the signs point to England hosting 2015 and Japan 2019

Rugby world Cup Ltd back England for 2015 - England are close to winning the right to stage the 2015 Rugby World Cup after organisers recommended their bid to the International Rugby Board (IRB

4 Nations present bids for 2015 and 2019 - England, Italy, Japan and South Africa have all presented their bids to host Rugby World Cup tournaments The four Unions tendering to host Rugby World Cup 2015 or 2019 today unveiled their bids to the IRB Council in Dublin

Japan enters Rugby World Cup race for 2015/19 - Japan has officially submitted a bid to host the 2015 or 2019 Rugby World Cup

2015 Host Stadia in England proposal

Twickenham, London; Wembley, London; Old Trafford, Manchester; Emirates Stadium, London; St James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne; Anfield, Liverpool; Elland Road, Leeds; St Marys, Southampton; Ricoh Arena, Coventry; Welford Road, Leicester; Kingsholm, Gloucester and the only stadium outside England to host matches will be Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, which will stage two quarter-finals and some pool matches, subject to the RFU proposal to RWCL being agreed in March 2010.