The Rugby World Cups

First topic message reminder :

There have been 8 Rugby World Cups. Wales have played matches at home (Cardiff) in 4 of them.

How is that:

1) Possible?
2) Fair?

It was money-grubbing, as you say. I hope it's significant that the WRU under Gareth Davies hasn't shoehorned in an Autumn international after the World Cup, as they did in 2011 (against Australia, which we lost).

Chunky Norwich wrote:
The difference would be a sport with integrity.

Thing is Chunks that given the small number of Fijian supporters that going to come to the RWC, notwithstanding the ex-pats in the UK and about 5% of the Army unless you played it at Old Spottingtons there are always going to be far more Welsh fans than Fiji fans at the game, so it makes sense to host it at the stadium with the capacity that will allow as many fans as possible to see it.

Irish Londoner wrote:

Chunky Norwich wrote:
The difference would be a sport with integrity.

Thing is Chunks that given the small number of Fijian supporters that going to come to the RWC, notwithstanding the ex-pats in the UK and about 5% of the Army unless you played it at Old Spottingtons there are always going to be far more Welsh fans than Fiji fans at the game, so it makes sense to host it at the stadium with the capacity that will allow as many fans as possible to see it.

No it doesn't.

It makes sense for it to be held in the country that is hosting the competition.

Wales aren't the host nation. They shouldn't have home advantage. By all means have group games at the Millennium Stadium, but not Wales's group.

Chunky Norwich wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Chunky Norwich wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Weren't the Regions getting half the gate or something for the 4th international?

 Where did you get that from? They got £100,000 each according to the Scarlets chairman.

So the Regions would have got 400,000 (which would be about half the gate once costs (such as paying the opposition) were taken into account!

No. Gate receipts are upwards of £4m. Opposition cost £750,000 maximum. It's nowhere near half.

I see that the Millenium doesn't fill up for the autumn internationals. i.e., 60K at Wales v SA.

PS. It probably costs over a million to open the Millenium up for the day. (I know this from what they say about Croke Park - they need 35K just to cover costs).

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:It was money-grubbing, as you say. I hope it's significant that the WRU under Gareth Davies hasn't shoehorned in an Autumn international after the World Cup, as they did in 2011 (against Australia, which we lost).

No need to - plenty of games in the Millenium unlike last world cup thanks to Roger & Co:D

By they way, was that not one of the many stops on the "good bye to Shane tour ".

Edit:
And any Welsh supporter moaning about the loss of income if they had played England in a world cup warmup need to be kicked up the yard. That is being really greedy bearing in mind that the Millenium Stadium is hosting 8 World Cup games which will probably generate a lot more for Welsh rugby than any media from a one off game against England.

It's going to be a bit weird during the Japan RWC playing some matches at MS, don't you think?

beshocked wrote:
It would be best if Italy gets the RWC in 2023 IMO.

Italy just lost out to England for the last world cup (think by 4 votes) so its not like the only NH Union to host it was England. SA could have hosted it as well and considering their time zone, would be equally profitable generating media income.

Japan may well be a bit of a lost financial leader as well so it will be necessary to have it in a time zone that will generate an income.

Sin E you honestly think SA would generate as much revenue as England?

Sin é wrote:
And any Welsh supporter moaning about the loss of income if they had played England in a world cup warmup need to be kicked up the yard. That is being really greedy bearing in mind that the Millenium Stadium is hosting 8 World Cup games which will probably generate a lot more for Welsh rugby than any media from a one off game against England.

How is moaning about loss of income greedy? There was a deal in place for £5m. That's shot to pieces now by Roger who c0cked it all up.

The 8 games in the world cup I'd guess will generate revenue for World Rugby. I'd wager alot that it won't generate £5m for the WRU.

Utterly screwed over by our own CEO. Only in Wales.

beshocked wrote: Sin E you honestly think SA would generate as much revenue as England?

Probably not, but I don't think World Rugby are greedy. The big thing for World Rugby is to be in the right time zone for the TV audiences and SA are in that.

(If what you think is true, Ireland are a shoe-in for hosting the 2023 as Japan poses the same financial problems as NZ. Worth noting that NZ did much better than expected.)

At the prices they are asking I doubt if any of the games in the MS will be sold out and I would have been quite happy if Wales wasn't playing any of their games there.

bedfordwelsh wrote:At the prices they are asking I doubt if any of the games in the MS will be sold out and I would have been quite happy if Wales wasn't playing any of their games there.

Yet nobody can get their hands on tickets because they're all bought up. I wonder how much the tickets for the Fiji game are, and whether or not any Fijians living in Fiji can afford to come over.

Sin e I think Italy would give a nice balance - they are technically a tier 1 country and part of the establishment but they are still like a distant cousin at the same time.

Italy would be in the right time zone - it's not difficult to get there, Italy would be my choice. Plenty of stadia in Italy.

Plus of course Italian food,wine and women.

beshocked wrote:

Plus of course Italian food,wine and women.

All to be had ..... or should I say enjoyed......... in Ireland It's a multicultcha world you know!!! Innit!