Irb Demands $207m Cup Fee

The Age

Thursday July 10, 2008

Greg Growden

THE International Rugby Board has made an audacious dash for cash by deciding to slug countries with a $207 million tournament fee to host the 2015 World Cup. And if any country wants to host the 2019 World Cup, it will cost $248 million.

When the IRB announced after its meeting in Hong Kong on Tuesday that the hosts of the 2015 and 2019 World Cups would be decided in July next year, a detail was left out - up-front tournament fees.

This initiative astounded some leading IRB delegates who argued that it was unreasonable considering many other organisations did not charge a tournament fee for world events.

Only a few rich rugby nations, such as England and France, could bid for World Cups from 2015.

It is understood that the Australian IRB delegates were the only ones to argue against the big tournament fees.

But countries including Scotland, Ireland and Wales who could clearly see a financial windfall coming their way, supported the move. -- GREG GROWDEN

© 2008 The Age

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