2025 RLWC to be held in France

[Dave T]

On 31/03/2021 at 21:46, Chris22 said:

Would France hosting the whole tournament be a risk? Yes. An enormous one. An expensive, loss-making flop cannot be ruled out.  I wonder if France as a co-host would be a safer step?

But, arguably, the riskier option may be to do the same as we have always done. Sometimes you must be brave enough to take a leap of faith.

We do need quite advanced planning though. In 2009, Japan were confirmed as hosts of the 2019 Rugby Union World Cup. At that time, Japan has not won a single World Cup match since 1991 (a record that remained until the 2015 tournament).

Since then, Japan have defeated South Africa, Italy, Ireland and Scotland, all of whom are considered 'Tier 1' nations. They went on to host an incredibly successful and profitable World Cup, with a substantial economic boost to the country as a whole.

A World Cup in France is viable, but not standalone. It must be part of a wider growth strategy.

I think this is where we can only award the tournament to France with Government funding. As I said earlier, I think it is £10m the UK govrnment are putting up to stage the 2021 tournament, and £15m in legacy funding (maybe the other way round). 

This funding will really reduce the risk by covering a large part of the staging costs and if funding like that could be gained for a France RLWC (which  really isn't a large amount in reality) then it can stage a tournament on its own. At this stage we are not like the Olympics, FIFA World Cup or even the RUWC where a large payment from profits has to be made. 

Securing fudning eaither from central government or local councils to cover the costs of staging really is a key requirement.

[Dave T]

6 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

I agree, 2029 for France. 2025 in NZ with some Aus.

I'd be cool with that, and it would stick with us alternating hemispheres.

NZ doesn't exactly return amazing crowds, but it coul probably be guaranteed to do well for a couple of key games (opener and final) and they do have the benefit of Samoa, Tonga and NZ teams havig good followings. 

I'd worry about some of the smaller gams though.

[Sports Prophet]

On 01/04/2021 at 04:52, GUBRATS said:

They won those games on the back of bringing loads of NZ players to Japan to gain residency status 

I think you will be surprised. Go check the line ups of the Japanese team for 2019 RWC. Usually hovering above 2/3 Japanese in the starting 15.

[Sports Prophet]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I'd be cool with that, and it would stick with us alternating hemispheres.

NZ doesn't exactly return amazing crowds, but it coul probably be guaranteed to do well for a couple of key games (opener and final) and they do have the benefit of Samoa, Tonga and NZ teams havig good followings. 

I'd worry about some of the smaller gams though.

Yep, but it’s not like the smaller games would get much return in Aus anyway.

[Dave T]

Just now, Sports Prophet said:

Yep, but it’s not like the smaller games would get much return in Aus anyway.

Aye, I'm definitely not advocating Aus!

[Keith989]

7 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Aye, I'm definitely not advocating Aus!

I think you'd be surprised at the crowds at the smaller games in France. I remember them getting thousands to games in the u20 ru world cup for games between smaller nations. I can see them turning up for these games. 

[Dave T]

Just now, Keith989 said:

I think you'd be surprised at the crowds at the smaller games in France. I remember them getting thousands to games in the u20 ru world cup for games between smaller nations. I can see them turning up for these games. 

I agree, I personally think France would go pretty well. I'd love it, and we would have the advantage of a large touring contingent from England which would add a lot of noise and colour to the tournament. 

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

I agree, I personally think France would go pretty well. I'd love it, and we would have the advantage of a large touring contingent from England which would add a lot of noise and colour to the tournament. 

Especially if we were smart about it and put the England games in cities that had direct air links with the UK, with other games nearby on the same weekend

[Hello]

On 31/03/2021 at 22:52, GUBRATS said:

They won those games on the back of bringing loads of NZ players to Japan to gain residency status 

This is completely and utterly untrue and off the mark. Watch highlights of any Japan game from the world cup and you will see that at all times well over half the team "look" Japanese. The fact is that RU has grown massively over there - check their viewing figures. It's up to RL to respond and promote itself and there are positive signs that this can be done, with some joined-up thinking 

[GUBRATS]

39 minutes ago, Hello said:

This is completely and utterly untrue and off the mark. Watch highlights of any Japan game from the world cup and you will see that at all times well over half the team "look" Japanese. The fact is that RU has grown massively over there - check their viewing figures. It's up to RL to respond and promote itself and there are positive signs that this can be done, with some joined-up thinking 

Yes it was usually about 60% Japanese and 40% residency in starting squads , with the bench virtually all Japanese , but that is still a large amount 

[Hello]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

Yes it was usually about 60% Japanese and 40% residency in starting squads , with the bench virtually all Japanese , but that is still a large amount 

I agree that there were a significant number who had qualified via residency but the percentage has been steadily decreasing as the game has grown in popularity. I don't want us to hide behind the residency thing to pretend that unioni isn't growing in many countries, but rather be positive in building RL in pastures new. Though you were probably just having a bit of a laugh tb to be fair

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Hello said:

I agree that there were a significant number who had qualified via residency but the percentage has been steadily decreasing as the game has grown in popularity. I don't want us to hide behind the residency thing to pretend that unioni isn't growing in many countries, but rather be positive in building RL in pastures new. Though you were probably just having a bit of a laugh tb to be fair

I have little interest in RU be that Japanese or British , but let's not pretend that the Japanese RU World Cup team was bolstered by a significant number of players qualifying by residency , do I care one iota ? , No 

[Dave T]

What is positive here is that IRL seem to have grasped that they will need to drive the World Cup agenda, and it won't just be a case of inviting bids. 

Them taking ownership and hopefully managing the level of risk means that we can go to places that we maybe couldn't if it was left to indvidual federations. 

If we can get to a place where we can reduce the reliance on the likes of Oz and build up the tournament to the point that it becomes more attractive to Aussie fans and corporates by building it in Europe and America and maybe NZ taht would be better than just using Oz and England. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 30/03/2021 at 09:08, Hela Wigmen said:

According to John Davidson who says that is the plan of the new IRL chairman. 

Ohhhhh.... Road trip!!!! 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 02/04/2021 at 13:12, dhw said:

Are you sure about this?

 

[Eddie]

2 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Ohhhhh.... Road trip!!!! 

Your missus will be buzzing when she finds out mate

[fieldofclothofgold]

I think it's a great idea would be nice to have a WC holiday in France. Also  before that how about taking the RLCC final to France for one year or dare I say it the Grand final .

[GUBRATS]

14 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

I think it's a great idea would be nice to have a WC holiday in France. Also  before that how about taking the RLCC final to France for one year or dare I say it the Grand final .

I'd say this is one of the daftest things I've read on here in years

[fieldofclothofgold]

11 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I'd say this is one of the daftest things I've read on here in years

But you're not saying it . 

 

 

[GUBRATS]

8 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

But you're not saying it . 

 

 

No , you are , suggesting you take final that most likely wouldn't include a team from that country , and where the fans of the teams playing in it would have 1 week to arrange travel , this final being our biggest revenue maker from attendance of the year 

Crazy 

[gingerjon]

54 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

I think it's a great idea would be nice to have a WC holiday in France. Also  before that how about taking the RLCC final to France for one year or dare I say it the Grand final .

If you're going to take anything then take the Magic Weekend.

I'm not convinced it would work but it's the only 'event' we have that stands a chance.

[fieldofclothofgold]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

No , you are , suggesting you take final that most likely wouldn't include a team from that country , and where the fans of the teams playing in it would have 1 week to arrange travel , this final being our biggest revenue maker from attendance of the year 

Crazy 

It's been suggested  before about taking one of the major finals away for a one off promotion . This subject has always been. Mooted in RL .it was just a suggestion to go with many others .Weren't they once going to play A RL test in the American mid west ? It doesn't look like Wembley will be full for the CC final for quite awhile and when it was first played in 1929 it was years before it got full attendances the post war boom years 

[Mr Frisky]

On 01/04/2021 at 09:19, Harry Stottle said:

What! are 6' 6" 18 stone White Caucasians not common in Japan, well I never.

If you go to the right clubs they are mate.....

[DC77]

On 31/03/2021 at 09:35, Tommygilf said:

I actually feel that the Kiwis are a potentially bigger draw than the Australians for us, if not that then at least as big. I think that's especially true amongst the "peripheral RL" audience for whom NZ = Good rugby team (because of the success and profile of the All Blacks) far more than the Green and Gold sadly. That was my main takeaway from the test at the Olympic stadium for the kiwi series in 2015 vs the game against Australia in the 2016 4 Nations. 

Never seen that stated before but thinking about it I’d say thats true among the general populous who know next to nothing about RL but have some degree of knowledge of sport. If you asked them about Aus and rugby they’d likely think RU, and by association the All Blacks (thus that team in black are the best), and If you asked them to name a famous Aussie named Wally 99% in that group that could give an answer would likely say the bloke from Crocodile Dundee.

In saying all this wouldn’t Aus be a much bigger draw among the peripheral RL audience? They will know that Aus are kings in RL and wouldn’t instantly think ‘the team in black’. And surely it’s RL followers that make up a large percentage of the crowd? If this is the case then surely Aus would be the prime draw.