Following the SARU announcing their bid for the RWC in 2023, Italy have today confirmed they are going to bid for the World Cup as well. That’s now Ireland, the USA, South Africa, Argentina and Italy. Where would you like to see it hosted?
A day after South Africa threw their hat into the ring, the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) has stated it will be bidding for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The Italian governing body’s president, Alfredo Gavazzi, has said,
The growth of rugby in Italy in recent years, results obtained in the Six Nations and autumn Tests and the experiences with the Under-20s World Cup in 2011 and next June are just some fixed points behind the Italian bid.
It has been excellent to see the Italians go from Six Nations wooden spoon guarantees to the team they are today. Players such as Sergio Parisse, Martin Castrogiovanni (when he hasn’t been bitten by a dog), the Bergamasco brothers, to name only a few, have been inspirational in this achievement. Italy have definitely shown on the pitch that they are more than worthy of hosting the sport’s premier tournament. Gavazzi certainly believes they are:
I am sure that today Italian rugby has everything you need to organise a memorable Rugby World Cup and that whole movement, in the next two years, will work to ensure that this dream can become a reality.
Whichever country hosts the world cup, we are sure it will be excellent. At the end of the day we can be very thankful that our governing body is incomparably better than FIFA…