Of course the awarding of host status for major international tournaments should be based primarily on things like infrastructure and local appetite for the sport in question.
But assuming that Ireland can deliver such things, I reckon the table below clearly demonstrates that as a rugby nation Ireland are not only well overdue to host a rugby world championship of come sort, I'd go so far as to say that surely by the year 2023 we should have hosted all three major competitions (Men's World Cup, Junior World Championship & Women's World Cup) at least once.
Yes, I know we have hosted individual World Cup matches here before but still I think it's fair to say that proportionally it doesn't come near reflecting the increase in popularity in the game on these shores, particularly in the professional era.
And one more thing...if someone asked you about Holland and the World Cup in 1998 you would surely think about Denis Bergkamp, Edwin van der Sar and Edgar Davids...and definitely NOT the fact that the Women's Rugby World Cup was played there that year.
Sorry, no offence to any form of Dutch rugby but if they can get a WRWC (and Spain too for that matter), then Ireland definitely should.
I could harp on various points like the rapid growth of the game here and the success our team has had in recent years like a Grand Slam and defeating New Zealand but I'll leave it to the blazers to make the more sophisticated arguments to World Rugby. But I'm not sure those are even required. We're due.
Happy International Women's Day. #COYGIG JLP
| RWC | JWC | WRWC | |
| 1987 | NZ | ||
| 1988 | |||
| 1989 | |||
| 1990 | |||
| 1991 | ENG | WAL | |
| 1992 | |||
| 1993 | |||
| 1994 | SCO | ||
| 1995 | SA | ||
| 1996 | |||
| 1997 | |||
| 1998 | HOL | ||
| 1999 | WAL | ||
| 2000 | |||
| 2001 | |||
| 2002 | SA | SPA | |
| 2003 | AUS | ENG | |
| 2004 | SCO | ||
| 2005 | ARG | ||
| 2006 | FRA | CAN | |
| 2007 | FRA | ||
| 2008 | WAL | ||
| 2009 | JAP | ||
| 2010 | ARG | ENG | |
| 2011 | NZ | ITA | |
| 2012 | SA | ||
| 2013 | FRA | ||
| 2014 | NZ | FRA | |
| 2015 | ENG | ITA | |
| 2016 | |||
| 2017 | ??? | ||
| 2018 | |||
| 2019 | JAP |
Some tournaments were shared between different hosts...the nations in above table hosted the final
Note - from 2002-2006 the JWC was and Under-21 tournament, it was Under-20 from 2008.
