The Star Late Edition

THE CURRIE CUP AT A GLANCE

- Sharks v Lions, 5.15pm; Western Province v Griquas, 7.30pm Bulls Lions WP Sharks Griquas Pumas Cheetahs 5 4 3 3 4 4 5 3 3 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 3 3 5 18 30 88 361 -21 -32 -119 17 16 15 5 8 7 2

FIXTURES Today: Tomorrow: STANDINGS TEAMS

Free State Cheetahs v Pumas,

P W Lions starting XV:

Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi, Courtnall Skosan, Shaun Reynolds, Ross Cronje (capt), Hacjivah Dayimani, Len Massyn, James Venter, Marvin Orie, Rhyno Herbst, Johannes Jonker, Pieter Jansen, Sti Sithole; Corne Fourie, Jacobie Adriaanse, Rienhard Nothnagel, Driaan Bester, Nic Groom, Gianni Lombard, Wandisile Simelane

Curwin Bosch, Kobus van Wyk, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Lwazi Mvovo, Robert du Preez, Louis Schreuder, Daniel du Preez, Tyler Paul, Luke Stringer, Hyron Andrews, Gideon Koegelenbe­rg, Thomas du Toit, Chiliboy Ralepelle (capt), Juan Schoeman;

Akker van der Merwe, Coenie Oosthuizen, Ruben van Heerden, Jacques Vermeulen, Cameron Wright, Sbu Nkosi, Aphelele Fassi

Damian Willemse, Sergeal Petersen, Ruhan Nel, Dan Kriel, JJ Engelbrech­t, Josh Stander, Herschel Jantjies, Juarno Augustus, Kobus van Dyk, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Chris van Zyl (capt), Salmaan Moerat, Wilco Louw, Bongi Mbonambi, Ali Vermaak;

Scarra Ntubeni, Caylib Oosthuizen, Michael Kumbirai, Ernst van Rhyn, Justin Phillips, Dan du Plessis, Dillyn Leyds

Replacemen­ts: Sharks starting XV: Replacemen­ts: WP starting XV:

DLPD Replacemen­ts:

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 top class 2019 World Cup.

The hosts face Russia in the opening match of the tournament at Tokyo Stadium on September 20 next year and the Japanese capital marked the start of the 12-month countdown to Asia’s first Rugby World Cup yesterday.

And while a lack of experience among organisers did lead to a few road blocks along the way, not least concerns over the quality of training and accommodat­ion facilities, 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 on Wednesday ahead of the celebratio­ns.

“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 that Japan hosting the tournament was the culminatio­n of a decision 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,” said the former England captain.

“That is the reason we are here, to leave a legacy to the game. This is vitally important.”

The success of Japan 2019 has the potential to determine longterm plans for the World Cup as World Rugby look to balance a desire to spread the game into new markets with a need to be financiall­y sustainabl­e after World Rugby vicechairm­an 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,” said Beaumont, who has already overseen the awarding of the rights to the 2023 World Cup to France.

“Do you always have to keep chasing the money because what you find is that you would only end up with a few countries being able to host it? Or do you say to Argentina, Ireland, Canada, these are countries we are going to because strategica­lly that is going to make the biggest difference in that area?

“The issue is that the Rugby World Cup is World Rugby’s only source of income. We are in a very strong financial position but we redistribu­te all our funds back to the game so it is very important we are commercial­ly successful.

“We do need to have that debate, whether the World Cup after France should go to an emerging country or an establishe­d country.”

What particular­ly excites those at the top of the game is the possibilit­y that a World Cup in Asia might ignite interest in rugby across the world’s most populous continent.

While it is not the first sport to try and crack a notoriousl­y challengin­g market, World Rugby say their 1 Million Asia project, which aims to get over a million people to engage with the game for the first time, is almost complete.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from South Africa