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'Top priority' security promised for fans at Rugby World Cup 2023
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin has insisted that security will be a top priority at the upcoming Rugby World Cup, the biggest in the 36-year history of the tournament.
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Approximately 2.5 million tickets have been sold for the event’s 48 matches and more than 600,000 international visitors are expected to travel for the games in September and October – a World Cup record and 50 per cent more than the number of fans that travelled for Japan 2019.
The opening match featuring hosts France and the All Blacks in Paris on September 8 is now just 100 days away and World Rugby bosses have assured that every step will be taken to ensure the tournament passes off safely.
Last year’s Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool at Stade de France – the stadium that will host the RWC 2023 final and an array of other matches – was a fiasco due to serious congestion problems and over-zealous policing.
There have since been widespread protests across France over pension reforms, while last Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership rugby final in England was temporarily halted when Just Stop Oil protestors evaded stewards to throw orange dust onto the pitch at Twickenham.
Gilpin, though, has assured that the Rugby World Cup organisers have been pretty relentless from a safety perspective in taking the necessary steps to ensure that the 2023 finals pass off without a hitch.
“We can absolutely say that rugby fans who are travelling to France and wherever they are going to be at the tournament that their safety – along with the teams and the players – is absolutely the top priority and the French authorities, the French government, and the cities are very much part of that.
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“There are lessons to learn from instances like that what happened at Stade de France in the Champions League final. As you can imagine there has been an enormous amount of debate around that, so we are very confident in those plans.
“But like any time I am talking about security, we are never complacent. There is a huge amount of work and that will absolutely continue for the next 100 days and throughout the tournament. A Rugby World Cup over seven weekends is a long period and 48 matches across nine cities is a big undertaking, so we are pretty relentless about that planning from a safety perspective.”
The overall message that Gilpin delivered 100 days out from the opening match at the 2023 finals was that the organisation of the tournament was in great shape, leaving World Rugby incredibly confident about delivering an event to remember for all the right reasons.
“As we reach this milestone of 100 days to go, we are incredibly confident in relation to delivering a great event,” he enthused. “That is an event that from the start has been planned with teams, players and fans at heart, so we know can deliver in an exceptional host country with wonderful infrastructure a really engaging and compelling tournament for players and teams – which is our priority but also have the fans at the heart of what we are doing.
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“Our message is we are in great shape. Never has a country, has a nation been so excited to host a Rugby World Cup. The levels of engagement are fantastic and never has a country been so ready to host a Rugby World Cup. That is really important. We are anticipating a very special both of rugby and of France as the host. That is particularly poignant as we look to celebrate rugby’s 200th year.
“Fantastic host cities, world-class venues as we know, fantastic training facilities around the country and it is fair to say no stone has been left unturned in preparations which provide us with huge confidence and that is really important as we move into this last phase.
“It will be the most responsible sustainable World Cup to date, with a really impactful programme of social inclusion and environmentally sustainable initiatives, particularly under the Rugby au Coeur banner which we are really excited about. It has been a really important part of the planning of this tournament.
“In terms of the French public, the excitement is building. We know there is a 90 per cent approval rating for the hosting of the tournament in France and overwhelmingly the French population are incredibly positive about the tournament and the impact it will have in the host country.
“The latest research shows that 76 per cent of the French population is either planning to be in a stadium, be at a fan village or enjoy Rugby World Cup via broadcast or online. We know from ticket purchasing that more than 600,000 international fans will be welcome to France, which is a record for any rugby event.
“That is a 50 per cent increase on the 400,000 fans that made their way to Japan in 2019 and the organisers have achieved, will achieve record ticket sales for Rugby World Cup, selling out 2.5m tickets. It has been the hottest ticket to date of any rugby event we have known.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments