Ireland Unveils Powerful Team for 2023 World Rugby Presentation in London
The Ireland 2023 Rugby World Cup Bid Presentation delegation, which will present Ireland's case to World Rugby in London on Monday September 25th, will be spearheaded by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD, together with Shane Ross TD, Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport; Dick Spring, Chairman, Ireland 2023 Oversight Board; Philip Browne, Chief Executive, IRFU; David Sterling, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Philip Orr, President, IRFU; Brian O'Driscoll, Ireland's Bid Ambassador; Niamh Briggs, Captain, Ireland Women's Rugby Team and Kieran Mcloughlin, Worldwide President and CEO of The Ireland Funds.
In addition, the IRFU has revealed an additional boost for the presentation with news that it will contain video support pieces from U2 and a diaspora related piece involving Bob Geldof's moving rendition of the WB Yeats' poem 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree'.
This group will be supported by a team of experts across the critical elements of Ireland's proposition including Commercial and Sponsorship, Stadiums, Logistics, Ticketing, Travel and Accommodation.
Kevin Potts, IRFU Chief Operating Officer and 2023 Bid Director, said; "The quality of presenters assembled by Ireland reflects the enormous strength and depth of our bid and the level of support and co-operation the bid has enjoyed throughout from Governments, businesses and communities.
Our presentation will reflect the vision and strong commercial credentials of Ireland's proposition but also, critically, the creativity of the Irish people, which is what will make Ireland 2023 a tournament like no other. This creative element will involve inputs from Bob Geldof, U2 and Liam Neeson, all of whom have enthusiastically supported our bid.
The diaspora are a very important element of our proposition. We intend to demonstrate just how critical they can be in assisting Ireland and World Rugby create a global stadium of 70 million people for rugby's greatest showpiece and in ensuring the eyes of the world will be focussed on Ireland and rugby for 6 solid weeks in 2023.
We have spent more than 4 years assembling a world class bid and we are now very much looking forward to presenting a truly exciting and compelling vision, full of Irish spirit, to the Council on September 25th.”
Ireland are one of 3 bidders presenting to World Rugby delegates in London on September 25th, the others being South Africa and France. Each will have 30 minutes to make a formal presentation, followed by a question and answer session.
The final decision will be announced, following a vote involving the constituent Unions and associations of World Rugby, on November 15th.