8:30am Wednesday 13th May 2009
Exclusive By Simon Carter
SAINTS’ St Mary’s stadium will be used to stage World Cup games in 2015 – in rugby union!
The Daily Echo understands the ground is one of 10 or 11 venues the English RFU have chosen if their bid for the tournament is successful.
England were today presenting the details of their bid to a meeting of international rugby offiicials in Dublin.
Japan – the favourites to land the tournament – South Africa and Italty are also bidding to host the event.
A final decision is expected to be made in July.
St Mary’s was on the English RFU’s list of 20 venues to stage games had they been successful in bidding for the 2007 rugby World Cup, which was held in France instead.
Bolton’s Reebok Stadium and Aston Villa’s Villa Park were also on the list.
The England rugby team’s home ground of Twickenham will be joined on the 2015 list of stadiums by the likes of Wembley, Manchester United’s Old Trafford and Newcastle United’s St James’s Park.
If the England RFU’s bid proves successful, some of the 2015 games will be held in Wales – at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/trade_directory/