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 25, will be spearheaded by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD.
Ready For The World – www.irishrugby.ie/ireland2023
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD will be joined in London by Shane Ross TD, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Dick Spring, the Chairman of the Ireland 2023 Oversight Board, IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne, David Sterling, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, IRFU President Philip Orr, Ireland’s Bid Ambassador Brian O’Driscoll, Ireland Women’s captain Niamh Briggs, 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 focused on Ireland and rugby for six solid weeks in 2023.
“We have spent more than four 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 Monday, September 25.”
Ireland are one of three countries presenting to World Rugby delegates in London on September 25, 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 Wednesday, November 15.
Ready For The World – www.irishrugby.ie/ireland2023