French rugby legend Sébastien Chabal believes their experience of hosting major tournaments gives them the edge in the battle to secure the rights for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The streets of Dublin were lined with green flags and balloons as over 100 children marched in front of an open top bus to accompany bid ambassador Brian O’Driscoll to World Rugby’s offices to submit the document.
The French contingent’s arrival at the offices of the game’s governing body was a far more low key affair.
Their bid bringer, the legendary Sébastien Chabal was in confident mood after formally submitting their pitch.
He believes they have proved time and again they have all the resources needed to host a major tournament, he hopes that will be enough to deliver the rights to host the 2023 tournament:
“We’re really confident, we trust in our project because France knows how to host a huge competition.
“We did it last year with the European Championships in soccer and it was a success, we have some fantastic stadiums.
“Some our brand new, some are just renovated. To welcome all the supporters, we are first in the world when it comes to tourism, we have about 85 million each year.
“We know how to welcome tourists and supporters of rugby, our transportation is fantastic with the TGV, our motorways are maybe the best in the World.
“I think we have everything going for us.”
The French have confirmed they will have venues should they win the right to host the event, with games to be staged in Lille (Stade Pierre-Mauroy), Nantes (La Beaujoire), Bordeaux (Matmut Atlantique), Toulouse (Le Stadium), Marseille (Velodrome), Nice (Allianz Riviera), Lyon (Parc OL), Saint-Etienne (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard) and Saint-Denis (Stade de France).
