RTÉ rugby analyst Donal Lenihan believes that, commercial concerns aside, Ireland "ticks all the boxes" as a potential World Cup host as the nation gears up its bid to host the 2023 World Cup.
Speaking on the The Rugby Show, Lenihan said: “The bottom line for me is the rugby stadiums that we will potentially have in the likes of Pairc Ui Chaoimh and Casement Park, they will put us in a very strong position to host the World Cup. The doubt is how do you replicate England, banking on the fact that 90,000 people will turn up to watch Romania at Wembley at outrageous prices - £150, £170, well over €200.
“That said, if the equivalent of that is England playing Romania in Croke Park, market it properly, organise flights in and out of England, then it shouldn't be an issue. I also think that World Rugby should not be besotted with just money itself.
“The reason they needed England to be a success financially was New Zealand in 2011 was never going to generate the type of money they need to keep the game evolving and to help the tier-two and tier-three nations. They’ll make so much money out of this England one that every now and then they shouldn’t make money the top priority. For me, Ireland ticks all the boxes in hosting what would be a magnificent World Cup.”
Ireland’s limp exit at the quarter-final stages has also come under scrutiny and thoughts turn to how they rebuild after losing several key players to injury.
Peter O’Mahony is just one player set for a spell on the sidelines and Lenihan sees CJ Stander and Garry Ringrose as names set to come into Joe Schmidt‘s reckoning.
Lenihan added: “I can’t see how O’Mahony will be back for the Six Nations so I think Stander brings something. He is such a better rugby player now than he was when he came in. And to be fair to him, he didn’t cry, it took him a long time to get a starting position in the team. I think he will come into the reckoning. I can’t see how Joe Schmidt could afford to ignore him. I would be amazed if he wasn’t brought into the squad.
“I saw Ringrose play for UCD in the All-Ireland League. Leinster seem to be drip-feeding him into the game by playing him on the wing in a couple of matches, but just by the ones that I saw you can see the raw pace and talent is there and it’s a question of when. In Joe Schmidt, he has the right man in the right place to nurture his development over the next 12 months.”
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