NZR offers help to Japan over World Cup
WELLINGTON: New Zealand Rugby has offered help to Japan after the next World Cup host was delivered a hurryup by the game’s bosses.
A World Rugby review of Japan’s preparations for the 2019 tournament was mixed, calling on the organising committee to ‘‘accelerate’’ progress.
Less than two years out from the first World Cup in Asia, tournament director Alan Gilpin found a lack of provision for training grounds for the 20 teams.
‘‘There are some areas where the organising committee has not progressed as much as we would expect by this stage,’’
Gilpin said.
‘‘The Japan
Rugby 2019 organising committee recognise that they need to accelerate the selection of training venues.
‘‘The next few months will be critical to the ultimate success of the tournament.’’
NZR chief executive Steve Tew said he expected to be updated about progress at a meeting of the World Rugby audit and risk committee he chairs, in London on Wednesday.
‘‘Any risk to World Cup needs to be in front of that group,’’ Tew said.
‘‘World Rugby made it very clear during the week. They feel Japan are behind where they need to be on some pretty critical operational matters.’’
Tew said the organising committee was aware there was help available from personnel involved in running the past two tournaments in 2011 and 2015.
‘‘There are concerns and I’m sure World Rugby are working hard to help alleviate them.
‘‘We’ve offered too. We have expertise left over from 2011 and a lot of people left over from London [2015].
‘‘The issue is that what we require for our teams to be at their best, which should be the No 1 priority for every tournament. You’ve got to provide facilities that may not be naturally available in some Japanese cities.’’ — NZN