Ireland planning a solo bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

Great news and a great idea. No reason why we couldn't host it (With the help of the GAA!!).

New Zealand used 12 stadiums,with capacities of 15,18,18,20,22,26,30,30,34,36,40 and 60000.

Irelands stadiums in order of capacity would be: 1.Croke Park (80+) 2.Semple (55) 3.Aviva (50) 4.Pairc Ui Chaoimh (45) 5.Casement (40 when developed) 6.Thomond (27) 7.Ravenhill (18 when developed) 8.RDS (19). 9/10/11/12 Sportsgrounds (Galway)/Clones/Limerick/Musgrave/Tullamore/Parnell/Salthill/Cavan/Killarney (All between 10 and 20 i think?).

Am I dreaming or is there permission already granted to extend the Aviva slightly a few years down the line?

Hurling1Guru1 (Galway) - Posts: 244 - 18/11/2013 14:58:25    1514789

You 'forgot' mchale park and its 42,000 capacity there galwayman.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 18/11/2013 15:06:26    1514795

Great idea alright
Some of the grounds mentioned would need a lot of work though.
Need to move it around a bit too. Alright that dublin would have 2 or at most 3 venues but no other town city should have more than 1. That would rule out gaelic grounds/parnell/pearse pk. You would imagine that the existing rugby grounds in Galway/Belfast would be redeveloped before a RWC. If 12 grounds needed then this would be a likely list. Croke Park, Aviva, RDS, Thomond, Sportsgrounds(Galway), Ravenhill,Semple, Pairc Ui Caoimh, Nowlan Pk, Any three from Portlaoise(with 2nd stand), Navan(redeveloped), Sligo(redeveloped), Roscommon(redeveloped), Derry(redeveloped), Waterford(redeveloped). Any other towns have too many access issues and facilities that wouldnt be used afterwards if redeveloped. Need to use common sense too. Likely 6-7 GAA gorunds would be required aand only 14/15 matches in total

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 18/11/2013 15:12:20    1514799

Apologies my Mayo friend!! I also forgot Nowlan Park with 24,000.

Hurling1Guru1 (Galway) - Posts: 244 - 18/11/2013 15:16:04    1514803

Gaelic Grounds in Limerick holds 45+ but will not be available as Limerick would only use one stadium and it would be TP. Limerick would not be big enough to have 2 stadia in use, and usually its only the bigger cities that accomodate more than one.
The likely candidates would be The Dublin Stadia plus, Thomond, Ravenhill, Casement, Salthill, Nowlan Park, PUC, Musgrave and Celtic Park.
Whilst Semple, Clones, Breffni, Portlaoise etc would be big enough stadia, the local towns would be far too small to accomodate for a world cup fixture
In all previous WC's the games have been held in City Stadia. This rules out some of the bigger grounds in Ireland straight away.

Its not that the stadia are too small, its that Ireland is too small,

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 18/11/2013 15:20:52    1514806

Master I would only except one stadium in Connacht to be nominated. That most likely would go to Pearce Stadium in Salthill (unless their lack of floodlights comes against them). Galway would be judged to have better all round facilities for fans travelling over with plenty of hotels etc and the city has a fairly strong Rugby connection. Mayo wouldn't be a strong Rugby stronghold. I couldn't see them bypassing Galway city and in fairness it would be hard to argue with it.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 18/11/2013 15:24:38    1514808

Taking size, location and redevelopment into consideration the 12 would probably be, Aviva, Croke Park, RDS (redeveloped or at least extended) Casement, Ravenhill, Thomond, Gaelic Grounds (Limerick) Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Musgrave(would need complete redevelopment), Sportsground, Salthill, Nowlan Park.

That's 3 for Dublin, 2 for Belfast, 2 for Cork, 2 for Galway, 2 for Limerick, 1 for Kilkenny.

Hurling1Guru1 (Galway) - Posts: 244 - 18/11/2013 15:45:47    1514813

It was a joke yewtree. I referenced the poster adding 2 galway venues to his list while forgetting the larger mchale park but it was blocked for some reason.

However, I dont really think that is reasonable logic. I would say that certain groups would be based in and around certain areas of the country, and all the games couldnt be on the same pitch, therefore 1 pitch in connacht doesnt reall make sense. Also, mayo could easily host a rwc group game or two. You have westport and castlebar with 15 minutes of eachother, they could accomodate for the numbers involved in a group game comfortably. Also, mayo is just the example, the same goes for several counties. Semple stadium for example - if it can handle full-house munster finals then there wouldnt be any issue here. The same number would be going to the game and those without tickets would be comfortable enough in the surrounding townlands. People seem to think that rugby crowds are harder to cope with or something - if they managed it in NZ they can manage it here.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 18/11/2013 15:51:26    1514815

They are planning to host the World Cup using our grounds :-)

Thats a bit previous, as our Cockney friends might say .....

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 18/11/2013 15:52:25    1514817

Guru, limerick and galway are too small to accomodate games in 2 stadia

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 18/11/2013 15:55:25    1514819

18/11/2013 14:58:25
Hurling1Guru1
Ireland planning a solo bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023.
Great news and a great idea. No reason why we couldn't host it (With the help of the GAA!!).
New Zealand used 12 stadiums,with capacities of 15,18,18,20,22,26,30,30,34,36,40 and 60000.
Irelands stadiums in order of capacity would be: 1.Croke Park (80+) 2.Semple (55) 3.Aviva (50) 4.Pairc Ui Chaoimh (45) 5.Casement (40 when developed) 6.Thomond (27) 7.Ravenhill (18 when developed) 8.RDS (19). 9/10/11/12 Sportsgrounds (Galway)/Clones/Limerick/Musgrave/Tullamore/Parnell/Salthill/Cavan/Killarney (All between 10 and 20 i think?).
Am I dreaming or is there permission already granted to extend the Aviva slightly a few years down the line?
Ireland would need bigger stadiums than NZ due to closer proximity to more countries competing in world cup than NZ. We would need another 40000/50000 + stadium on top of croke park, aviva, pairc ui chaoimh etc
Dont see Semple Stadium being used due to lack of facilities like hotels etc in Thurles area
Think you are dreaming wrt planning permission to the Aviva. There isnt any more room on the site in Lansdowne road for any expansion especially on the North, West and South boundaries of the site where the stadium already is at the edge and at the east side of the ground there is the back pitches etc for use of Lansdowne and Wanderers rfc and they need them so there will be no expansion in the lifetime of the stadium

18/11/2013 15:12:20
jpcampion
Great idea alright
Some of the grounds mentioned would need a lot of work though.
Need to move it around a bit too. Alright that dublin would have 2 or at most 3 venues but no other town city should have more than 1. That would rule out gaelic grounds/parnell/pearse pk. You would imagine that the existing rugby grounds in Galway/Belfast would be redeveloped before a RWC. If 12 grounds needed then this would be a likely list. Croke Park, Aviva, RDS, Thomond, Sportsgrounds(Galway), Ravenhill,Semple, Pairc Ui Caoimh, Nowlan Pk, Any three from Portlaoise(with 2nd stand), Navan(redeveloped), Sligo(redeveloped), Roscommon(redeveloped), Derry(redeveloped), Waterford(redeveloped). Any other towns have too many access issues and facilities that wouldnt be used afterwards if redeveloped. Need to use common sense too. Likely 6-7 GAA gorunds would be required aand only 14/15 matches in total
Ravenhill is already in process of getting developed and by 2015 will be at about 20000.
Dont see Sportsground in Galway being used as not big enough

18/11/203 15:45:47
Hurling1Guru1
Taking size, location and redevelopment into consideration the 12 would probably be, Aviva, Croke Park, RDS (redeveloped or at least extended) Casement, Ravenhill, Thomond, Gaelic Grounds (Limerick) Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Musgrave(would need complete redevelopment), Sportsground, Salthill, Nowlan Park.
That's 3 for Dublin, 2 for Belfast, 2 for Cork, 2 for Galway, 2 for Limerick, 1 for Kilkenny. Musgrave will not be used and will not be developed much more from its current state as it would impact Dolphin, Sundays Well rugby clubs who are tenants there and there is not enough space there to do much to the ground

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 18/11/2013 16:13:02    1514825

18/11/2013 15:51:26 TheMaster
It was a joke yewtree. I referenced the poster adding 2 galway venues to his list while forgetting the larger mchale park but it was blocked for some reason.
However, I dont really think that is reasonable logic. I would say that certain groups would be based in and around certain areas of the country, and all the games couldnt be on the same pitch, therefore 1 pitch in connacht doesnt reall make sense. Also, mayo could easily host a rwc group game or two. You have westport and castlebar with 15 minutes of eachother, they could accomodate for the numbers involved in a group game comfortably. Also, mayo is just the example, the same goes for several counties. Semple stadium for example - if it can handle full-house munster finals then there wouldnt be any issue here. The same number would be going to the game and those without tickets would be comfortable enough in the surrounding townlands. People seem to think that rugby crowds are harder to cope with or something - if they managed it in NZ they can manage it here. You wouldnt need to base countries around certain area's of the country as Ireland is small enough to travel around. England for 2015 world cup are not basing sides around areas and England is a much bigger country. You wouldnt need to base groups around area's
A full house munster final is totally different to a rugby world cup game where 90% of the people attending a RWC game would be looking for a hotel room the night before and/or after the match unlike a munster final. Thurles doesnt have anywhere near enough hotel rooms and neither does the direct local area going around to Borrisoleigh, templemore or even Nenagh, Roscrea etc

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 18/11/2013 16:16:02    1514827

I apologise for forgetting Castlebar on my list of venues. Probably a good spot as Knock airport in easy reach. I do believe that the rugdy crowd would use an opportunity like a RWC to redevelop grounds and that Ravenhill and Galway would be top of the list. This would leave no room for Casement or Pearse Park. Anyway can anyone really see Casement being released for Rugby? Limerick should have 1 venue and thomond is that. Smaller towns can be used quite easily as long as they are accessible. Portlaoise and Navan are less than 1 hour from dublin city centre and ideal for the likes of Georgia, Tonga, Namibia, Kenya. Those games that will probably only get 20-30,000 crowd anyway. With the right push could even get these smaller nations to base themselves in the provincial towns and bring a boost to the local economies.

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 18/11/2013 16:23:18    1514831

the goverment are doubling the commercial rates on Croke Park and now they're expecting it to be the best stadium in the bid? Ridiculous. Think it's a good idea though. Don't think anyone can find a fault for letting them use them on a once off basis, could give the GAA the reason and money to develop the grounds.

RebelCork (Cork) - Posts: 789 - 18/11/2013 16:36:43    1514834

You've hit the nail on the head, hurlingdub. Why should the GAA hand the IRFU such a fabulous marketing opportunity? It was bad enough letting the egg chasers into Croke Park, but destroying the surface in Thurles would be even worse.

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 18/11/2013 16:57:40    1514844

Liamwalkinstown
County: Dublin
Posts: 5002

1514806
Gaelic Grounds in Limerick holds 45+ but will not be available as Limerick would only use one stadium and it would be TP. Limerick would not be big enough to have 2 stadia in use, and usually its only the bigger cities that accomodate more than one.
The likely candidates would be The Dublin Stadia plus, Thomond, Ravenhill, Casement, Salthill, Nowlan Park, PUC, Musgrave and Celtic Park.
Whilst Semple, Clones, Breffni, Portlaoise etc would be big enough stadia, the local towns would be far too small to accomodate for a world cup fixture
In all previous WC's the games have been held in City Stadia. This rules out some of the bigger grounds in Ireland straight away.

limerick is big enough for two stadums,thomond only holds 25 thousand gaelci grounds has a capacity of 50 thousand.
there train and good bus networks available in limerick city and an airport 20 mins away in shannon.
its has loads of hotels close to gaelic grounds especially and it is a rugby city so i cannot see why you make out it would not be able to have two stadiums used.it would be the best city to have two stadiums used logically as its the biggest rugby city in the country so you will have far higher chance of people attending meaningless games between the likes of tonga and samoa and fiji and the likes

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 18/11/2013 17:06:39    1514853

Hurling1Guru1
County: Galway
Posts: 160

1514789

Am I dreaming or is there permission already granted to extend the Aviva slightly a few years down the line?


not granted - IRFU are in the process of buying off local residents. plan is to be at 60k capacity by 2020

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 18/11/2013 17:20:36    1514873

I wouldn't really call limerick a rugby city now hill not that it really matters.

The GAA should demand massive compensation for this as well as having existing grounds developed. It would be massive promotion to Rugby here and the GAA is in competition with other sports.

If I was the GAA I would demand the government remove the hiked rates on Croke Park, payed the players an increased grant and developed some stadia such as Navan, Drogheda and Kildare for use in this as some of the smaller stadiums.

I'd imagine the IRFU would have to assist the government in all of that.

Otherwise get stuffed. The GAA are not a governemnt/IRFU cash cow.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 18/11/2013 17:27:39    1514880

they wont get it up to 60 thousand as if the residents were ever going to be bought off it would have been when they were building the stadium,they dont need it bigger anyway

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 18/11/2013 17:28:04    1514881

It'd be great to see us hosting the RWC, we would need a good bit of cooperation from the Gaa but I think the millions of Euros will help persuade them, fingers crossed we can put in a good bid anyway. Think the decision isn't being made till 2016 or something like that though so a long way to go yet.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 18/11/2013 17:28:08    1514882