England's 2035 Rugby World Cup Dreams Under Threat as Four New Contenders Join the Fight

Yesterday at 02:23 PM

The competition is heating up as four countries are in the race to host the Rugby World Cup in 2035 and 2037. World Rugby has decided to award both the men’s and women’s tournaments in one go, with a two-year gap between them.

Following the successful hosting of the men’s Rugby World Cup by France in 2023 and England set to host the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025, the stage is set for Australia to take the reins in 2027 and 2029 for the men's and women's events, respectively.

The United States has also secured hosting rights for both the men's and women's tournaments in 2031 and 2033.

But what about 2035 and 2037? Let's dive into the five countries battling it out to take on the Rugby World Cup challenge.

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1. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the UAE

Could the Middle East and Asia pull off hosting rugby's biggest event? According to Asia Rugby President Qais Al-Dhalai, there are four countries that stand a chance: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the UAE.

Al-Dhalai is determined to bring the tournament back to Asia following Japan's success in 2019, and he's confident the region is ready. "The Middle East is witnessing a large appetite for different sports," he told the Mail Online, noting the success of Qatar's 2022 FIFA World Cup. "Why not rugby?"

He believes that investment is key to the Middle East's rugby growth. "When the investment comes, talented players will start to follow. Just like in Japan after 2019, we'll see the same impact in countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia," Al-Dhalai predicted.

2. Italy

Italy isn't just eyeing Euro 2032—there's a rugby dream in the mix too. With the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) officially backing Italy's bid for the 2032 European football championship, the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) is also pushing for a Rugby World Cup bid.

Ten cities are already in the running to host Euro 2032, including Milan, Turin, and Rome, with these cities boasting some iconic venues for rugby as well. The San Siro in Milan famously hosted 80,074 fans for a Test match between Italy and New Zealand in 2009.

In a show of support, the FIR is collaborating with the FIGC to ensure stadium upgrades meet the needs of international rugby, strengthening Italy's chances of hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2035 or 2037.

3. England

England has a track record of hosting global events, and UK Sport isn't slowing down. They've announced ambitious plans to bid for major tournaments such as the Rugby World Cup in 2035 or 2039, alongside the Tour de France and World Athletics Championships.

England's bid also promises to evolve with the times, as UK Sport explores events that resonate with new consumer habits. This could mean a focus not just on traditional sports but also on urban and e-sports. Could England bring both innovation and tradition to the 2035 Rugby World Cup?

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International referees have named the worst players to referee, Sexton features

Well, we've discovered quotes from six of the world’s finest officials down the years who told stories about trying to control some of football's bad boys.

Interestingly, one name cropped up on three occasions…

Matthew Carley – Steve Borthwick

On Borthwick: “A difficult question. When I first started refereeing in the Premiership Steve Borthwick was one of the guys who was pretty intimidating.

“He saw that everything was on 'his terms, whether you like it or not'. He had such presence. I think you learn how to deal with people like that as a ref, but Steve Borthwick, was as tough as they come.” 

Wayne Barnes–Joe Marler, Matt Dawson, Martin Johnson, Andy Goode, Richie McCaw

On Marler: "He was always a funny one on the field in nice way. You'd be trying to tell him something serious and he'd just want to have a laugh and a joke. But he does bring a smile to your face. That is what is unique about our sport, the interaction between players and refs and refs and coaches. It does show our sport off in a good light."

On Dawson: “Scrum-halves are always the worst, especially Matt.”

On Johnson: "I was always petrified of Martin Johnson because he was coming to the end of his career when I started in the Premiership.”

On Goode: “He always made me smile as he made me look athletic when we were on the same pitch. However, the humorous players always keep you on your toes and if they get opportunity to pick you up on a slight faux pas, they will. I once mentioned to Andy Goode that him and his team mates were all appealing for far too many decisions and told him that it sounded like there were 15 referees on the pitch. "And you're not even in the top 10" was his reply.”

On McCaw: “I've been on the field with some of the great captains, John Smit, Sam Warburton and Richie McCaw. Richie always had the knack of asking the right question at the right time, sometimes it felt like I was losing a little bit of control. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't talk a lot on the field. He knew the law book inside out and so when he asked a question, he often had a point.”

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