The 2008 edition of the Bingham Cup, which is known worldwide as the ‘Gay Rugby World Cup’, kicks off this morning (Friday) with the first pool matches. The tournament is being hosted in Ireland for the first time by Dublin club Emerald Warriors RFC. The matches are taking place at Dublin City University.
The Bingham Cup is the second largest biennial amateur 15-a-side rugby tournament in the world. Taking place at DCU over the coming weekend, the 2008 Bingham Cup promises to be the biggest yet.
32 teams drawn from clubs from around the globe will gun for glory at the north Dublin venue, with over 800 participants registered to take part.
The tournament, which has been in existence since 2002, is named in remembrance of Mark Kendall Bingham, one of the heroic victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the USA. Aged just 31, he died on board United Airlines flight 93.
Mark was a keen rugby player, playing for one of USA’s leading gay and bisexual rugby teams – San Francisco Fog RFC.
The Bingham Cup has been hosted previously by San Francisco (2002), London (2004) and New York (2006).
This year’s host club, Dublin’s Emerald Warriors RFC, was established in 2004 to provide gay, bisexual and heterosexual men with the opportunity to take part in rugby union.
Sponsored by Paddy Power bookmakers, the 2008 Bingham Cup is the biggest international team sports event to take place in Ireland this year so why not go along, support the players and watch some excellent rugby?
Spectator entry to the tournament is free of charge. Matches begin at 10am and run until 6pm on both Friday and Sunday. The games on Saturday will begin at 9am and run through until 7pm.
IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne said: “The Irish Rugby Football Union extends its best wishes and message of support to the Emerald Warriors rugby club and its hosting of the 2008 Bingham Cup.”
For more information on the 2008 Bingham Cup, the tournament’s history, the match schedule, the teams taking part and the host venue, please visit the Bingham Cup website.
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