One year to World Rugby gamble

NINE years after the bold decision to take their showpiece tournament out of the sport’s traditional heartlands for the first time, World Rugby are confident Japan will vindicate the gamble by delivering a topclass World Cup in 2019.

The hosts face Russia in the opening match of the tournament at Tokyo Stadium on September 20 next year – in Asia’s first Rugby World Cup.

While a lack of experience among organisers led to a few roadblocks along the way, World Rugby believe everything is now pretty much in hand.

“There are no major obstacles for the last 12 months,” World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper said in Tokyo this week ahead of celebrations to mark the one-year countdown.

“They have organised themselves well and they are on schedule for this last year. It hasn’t always been like this but now they are in a very good position.”

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said Japan hosting the tournament was the culmination of a decision first made in 1997 to expand into Asia and beyond the traditional tier one nations.

“What it has done is give us an opportunity to grow the game in an area that we think has potentially huge growth,” the England ex-captain said.

The success of Japan 2019 has the potential to determine long-term plans for the World Cup as World Rugby look to balance a desire to spread the game into new markets and be financially sustainable.

World Rugby vice-chairman Agustin Pichot warned last week that the international game was under threat of financial ruin.

“World Rugby will have to have a philosophical debate going forward,” explained Beaumont, commenting on that subject.