 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
Australia promises best World Cup ever Posted: Wednesday June 26, 2002 9:12 AM
Rugby World editor Paul Morgan takes a look at the draw for next year's Rugby World Cup. AUSTRALIA are promising to deliver the best World Cup in the history of our great game, in October and November 2003. That's the pledge delivered to Rugby World by ARU chief executive John O'Neill and the chairman of the IRB, Vernon Pugh. "I'm confident it will be a magnificent event," said Pugh, "and in the development of our game the first grown-up, mature Rugby World Cup. "It promises to be the most exciting and vital yet. I am delighted that Australia are the hosts. Throughout, they have demonstrated their enthusiasm and commitment, and rugby fans throughout the world can look forward to a very special sporting occasion." O'Neill added: "We believe you need to spend a dollar to make a dollar so we will be promoting Rugby World Cup heavily. There will not be any difficulty maintaining interest and I know it will be a success." Backing their pledge, the Australian government were quick to throw their support behind the event. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said: "Hosting the 2003 Rugby World Cup is an enormous honor for Australia. As a sports-loving nation and as a nation that has demonstrated its capacity in the recent past to run very effectively major international sporting events, I can assure you that all Australians will welcome the World Cup here in 2003." The tournament will be played across Australia in 10 cities, in seven states and territories and in 12 venues. And it climaxes with a week-long showcase at Stadium Australia, the home of the last Olympic Games. The structure does, however, mean that England start their campaign on the west coast in Perth and finish it on the east coast, following a four-hour flight and a two-hour time difference. The tournament kicks off on Friday 10 October (11am UK time), with Australia playing Argentina in Stadium Australia. The final will be in the same venue on Saturday, 22 November (9am UK). Ninety-two teams entered the World Cup, a figure that has now been reduced to 37 through a series of qualifying games which began in September 2000 in Norway. Eight teams pre-qualified for the Finals as quarterfinalists from the 1999 World Cup. After nearly 200 qualifying matches, they will be joined by the 10 nations to emerge from the qualifying rounds still to be played, plus a further two from the ensuing repêchage. In the Finals, 20 nations will compete in four pools, from which the top two will progress to the quarterfinals. The unpopular playoff round from 1999 has been ditched. A total of 48 games will be played. During the 24-day period of pool matches, games will be played on 22 days, providing an almost non-stop feast of entertainment. If you fancy travelling Down Under, tickets available for sale to residents in Europe are certain to be linked to travel packages from official tour operators -- but 50 per cent of the tickets will go on general sale in Australia. John Hall, chairman of Gullivers Sports Travel, who took more people to South Africa in 1995 than anyone else, believes 20,000 could make the trip from the UK and Europe. He said: "In terms of people travelling from the UK this will be much bigger than the Olympics and we have already started a register for those interested. It has captured the public's imagination." Ireland still need to qualify for next year's World Cup, and are favorites for Europe One. Canada are set for America One.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
