Welford Road No Longer Being Considered for 2015

[powerfulduck]

Great to see such a variety of cities named on this list to be honest. I would love to see Leeds or Villa Park get the nod. That would be wickid.

Being a Villa Fan and a resident of our fair city i'm very pleased at the prospect of WC rugby at VP. My original thought process was i'd try to attend 2-3 games no matter who played at the nearest location (prob leicester) so if Birmingham does get a game or two. I will be in attendance it's the world cup and judging by the expanding hoorizons of world rugby i doubt England will be hosts for a very long time.

 

[j'nuh]

More people participating in the WC > fewer people participating in the WC

 

[Thingimubob]

Cant help but feel that it'd be silly not using the Millennium Stadium for this World Cup, even if it is England 2015. It's the best situated big purpose build rugby stadium in Britain for me, since it's slap bang in the middle of the city centre, with pubs and bars everywhere and the train station only a stones throw away. With the whole 2007 attendances thing that was down to bad pricing, I went to Wales vs Japan and forked out something like £30 for a seat right up at the top, while some of the best seats where going for £60+, stupid! Tried to go to Canada vs Fiji with a mate too but decided to watch it in the pub when we were asked for £40 each. If they price it cheap with good deals, then the crowds will show!

Welford Road needed to be in there, never been there, but it looks like a great rugby stadium, and I'd pick it over the Leicester football ground any day!

 

[SelimNiai]

Think the Millennium will be used and I oddly find myself OK with the fact that they're thinking of making us not play there.

 

[Teh Mite]

More people participating in the WC > fewer people participating in the WC

Full stadia > Empty Stadia.


See: Mungoball World Cup.

 

[LittleGuy]

Martyn Thomas might have stolen my post from a few days ago LOL.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3818_8153034,00.html

 

[Draggs]

Martyn Thomas might have stolen my post from a few days ago LOL.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3818_8153034,00.html

You are Martyn Thomas; both the former RFU official and Gloucester fullback.

 

[Hill-Back-Dallaglio]

Cant help but feel that it'd be silly not using the Millennium Stadium for this World Cup, even if it is England 2015. It's the best situated big purpose build rugby stadium in Britain for me, since it's slap bang in the middle of the city centre, with pubs and bars everywhere and the train station only a stones throw away. With the whole 2007 attendances thing that was down to bad pricing, I went to Wales vs Japan and forked out something like £30 for a seat right up at the top, while some of the best seats where going for £60+, stupid! Tried to go to Canada vs Fiji with a mate too but decided to watch it in the pub when we were asked for £40 each. If they price it cheap with good deals, then the crowds will show!

Welford Road needed to be in there, never been there, but it looks like a great rugby stadium, and I'd pick it over the Leicester football ground any day!

All well and good, except for the small fact that the World Cup is in England.


Baffling decision.

 

[Nielsch]

If they are gonna include the Millennium Stadium they could just as well have included Murrayfield.

 

[William18]

I have to echo the thoughts of most here. The stadium choices seem pretty strange to me. I can't see the big grounds selling out for the minnow games so you may as well play games in smaller rugby stadiums. Having Cardiff host games and three stadiums in London also baffle me. England are great at doing events like this and I'm sure the world cup will be excellent but the challenge is for the tournament to have some long term benefit on the game in England. I don't think playing in soccer stadiums does this.

 

[Thingimubob]

All well and good, except for the small fact that the World Cup is in England.


Baffling decision.

Doubt you were complaining when the semi finals of 'Wales 1999' were held in Twickenham... Yeah I'm being picky, but from what I've seen of your posts you like a bit of pickyness.

The ironic thing is, its probably one of the easiest stadiums to get to on the whole list, and hell even the English dive-ball fans loved it when we held the various English domestic football finals, so could attract more than just your die hard Rugby fan.

Agree with SelimNiai too, I'm oddly fine with us not playing games there, we're gonna get good support wherever we are tbf! Remember the crowds in Wembley when we borrowed it?

 

[welshglory]

I have to echo the thoughts of most here. The stadium choices seem pretty strange to me. I can't see the big grounds selling out for the minnow games so you may as well play games in smaller rugby stadiums. Having Cardiff host games and three stadiums in London also baffle me. England are great at doing events like this and I'm sure the world cup will be excellent but the challenge is for the tournament to have some long term benefit on the game in England. I don't think playing in soccer stadiums does this.

France 2007 seemed to do fine filling up stadiums for the minnows.

 

[Nielsch]

France 2007 seemed to do fine filling up stadiums for the minnows.

Exactly. Some of the Tier 2 vs. Tier 2 matches had more spectators than Tier 1 vs. Tier 2 matches. Maybe because they're more exciting.

United States - Tonga, 25.000
Samoa - Tonga, 24.000
Samoa - United States, 34.000
Japan - Fiji, 34.500
Fiji - Canada, 45.000 (this was in Cardiff by the way and attracted more visitors than Wales - Japan in Cardiff during the same tournament)
Canada - Japan, 33.800
Romania - Portugal, 35.500
Georgia - Namibia, 32.500

These were all the T2 vs. T2 matches at the 2007 RWC. None of them drew less than 24.000 people. Most of them had 30.000+ people watching in the stadium. Therefore I can't blame the organizers of the RWC 2015 for not including the small rugby stadiums around England. The sport and the event is just too big for venues like The Stoop, The Rec and even Kingsholm to be honest.