Rugby World Cup 2023 bid blow for Fitzgerald Stadium

KERRY GAA chairman Tim Murphy has expressed strong disappointment with Tuesday’s announcement by the Rugby World Cup (RWC) board to recommend South Africa to host the 2023 tournament, which would have major consequences for Killarney’s Fitzgerald Stadium, if Ireland’s bid is unsuccessful.

However, Murphy - like the Irish Bid Oversight Board - said he isn’t giving up hope yet on Ireland’s bid, and says that all the necessary works on the Stadium are in place to proceed if and when necessary.

Tuesday’s recommendation to have South Africa host the 2023 World Cup is the result of RWC’s host selection process evaluation report, in which Ireland scored last of the three bidding nations, France being the other.

The report made specific mention of Killarney as having “less experience in large scale international events” and Fitzgerald Stadium which - along with Pairc Ui Chaoimh and Pearse Stadium - “require a significant level of overlay which is flagged as a risk, given the amount of work required to bring these up ton RWC standard”.

Although he hadn’t read the full report when speaking to The Kerryman on Tuesday evening, Mr Murphy said plans remain in place to complete all the necessary works should Fitzgerald Stadium be chosen as a host venue.

“From [Kerry GAA’s] point of view the initial reaction would be that we’re very disappointed with this announcement. We all felt it was a very good bid from Ireland, and we felt Killarney had a great chance of being a host venue.

“From the start there has been a plan in place for the necessary infrastructure works to be carried out if and when Killarney would be chosen. That hasn’t changed and that work is scheduled to begin as soon as the Stadium would become a World Cup venue. We’re talking six years until 2023 so there wouldn’t be a problem whatsoever in getting the venue up to the required standard,” he said.

The host nation for Rugby World Cup 2023 will be decided upon by secret ballot in two weeks, on November 15.