France’s hosting of rugby’s grandest event has provided some thinking points for those organising Australia’s tournament in four years.
The Rugby World Cup in France is over and thoughts turn to Australia hosting the next edition in 2027.
The game’s passionate heartland is traditionally set in southern areas such as Bayonne, Perpignan and Toulon.Cities such as La Rochelle and Clermont-Ferrand are obsessed with rugby, but once you leave Paris, you will struggle to find the game spoken about in the northern cities.This World Cup had stadiums filled with passionate fans for even the most lowly of pool fixtures. Teams were billeted in a diverse range of towns and cities that embraced them warmly.
It was reported that 9.4 million people watched New Zealand play Ireland in a quarter-final on French television, indicating that the whole competition was being watched, not just the home team. World Rugby announced that they would investigate and fans were asked to arrive at the stadiums at least three hours before kick-off to avoid congestion.