2015 Rugby World Cup organisers want to use London’s Olympic Stadium

Tuesday, September 18, 2012
11:58 AM

The Olympic Stadium could be used to host games at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, tournament organisers have revealed.

The Rugby World Cup is the next major sporting event to be held in England, and organisers want to build on the success of the Olympic Games.

Four bidders are interested in making the stadium their home, including West Ham United, but the venue’s future is still unknown.

The 80,000-capacity venue could be used as one of 10 to 12 Rugby World Cup stadia if a tenant is found before the list of stadia is published early next year.

Organisers have identified the Olympic Stadium as the perfect place to help them meet their £100million profit target.

Other London venues expected to be used are Wembley and Twickenham.

“You would be mad not to include [the Olympic Stadium] as part of your thinking,” Ross Young, chief operating officer of England’s organising committee, told the BBC.

International Rugby Board chief executive Brett Gosper hopes the tournament can captivate the watching world like the Olympic Games.

“We are conscious that there has been an amazing event that has happened in London in the Olympics. Everyone is having withdrawal symptoms,” he said.

“It really did capture the hearts and minds of [people in] this country and across the world. Everyone was in awe of what happened... it’s putting the right kind of pressure on us, but we’re confident we’ll deliver.”