THE IRFU HAS confirmed it has submitted a bid to host the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
The tournament takes place in August of 2017, and the IRFU bid involves locations in Dublin and Belfast.
The intention is for University College Dublin to host the pool stages of the competition, before the semi-finals and final take place in Belfast’s Queens University Sport and Kingspan Stadium.
Ireland, who recorded a superb win over England last weekend in the Six Nations, have already qualified for the 2017 World Cup, regardless of whether or not they do win the right to host it.
Last summer, Ireland finished a best-ever fourth at the World Cup in France, beating New Zealand in the pool stages before losing to England in the semi-finals at Stade Jean Bouin.
“Interest and participation in women’s rugby continues to grow and building on this momentum we believe Ireland can deliver the best Women’s Rugby World Cup to date,” said IRFU chief executive Philip Browne upon announcing the bid.
“We hope that the growing interest in women’s rugby in Ireland, world leading facilities at UCD, Queens University Sport, Kingspan Stadium and our internationally recognised reputation for being one of the world’s most welcoming nations will make an Irish bid the standout submission for the 2017 tournament.”
Former Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan, who retired after last year’s World Cup, is involved in the bid in her role as an outstanding ambassador for women’s rugby in his country and further afield.
“I am delighted to be part of this ambitious bid to bring one of the world’s premier women’s sporting events to Ireland,” said Coghlan
The development and profile of women’s sport has been fantastic in recent years and it will be a great opportunity for Ireland to showcase sport and to get more women and girls to consider taking up a team sport.
“Having captained Ireland at the recent Women’s Rugby World Cup in France I hope that I can help Irish Rugby to develop a Rugby World Cup that tops everything that went before and I know that the Irish people, Irish business and the Irish media will all come together to deliver a tournament to remember.”
