Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium is in contention to host the 2018 Men and Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens after the Welsh Rugby Union announced yesterday they will bid for the tournament.
Wales, winners of the 2009 tournament, join the USA, England, South Africa, Scotland, Portugal, Singapore, New Zealand, Spain, Netherlands, Fiji and Hong Kong in bidding to host the competition.
Alongside the World Cup bid Welsh officials are also hoping to host a round of the IRB’s Sevens World Series from the 2015/16 at the 74,500 seater Millennium Stadium.
WRU chief executive Roger Lewis has welcomed the bid, he said: “We are delighted to announce that we are bidding to host the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament at the Millennium Stadium.
“The Millennium Stadium is an ideal venue to host the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens and everyone at the WRU will be working extremely hard in the immediate future to ensure we convey that message to the IRB and to the rugby watching world.”
While the more traditional form of the game tends to rule in Wales, Rugby Sevens is growing in popularity, something highlighted by its status as the newest Olympic sport.
Mr Lewis gave the WRU’s backing to Sevens, he said: “Rugby Sevens has an enormous global appeal, highlighted most recently by its nomination as the newest Olympic sport ahead of 2016.”
