Rugby has it all: local teams based in promising cities, international intrigue and ‘award-winning ‘pride. What better way to reconnect with the founding spirit of rugby than by hosting the 2023 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
This is the slogan of the 2023 Women’s Rugby World Cup. It’s not necessary to play or even be a supporter to ‘be rugby”. Rugby is expressed well beyond the field: more than a sport, it’s a state of mind for those who share the virtues of self-sacrifice, collective commitment and respect. The 2023 World Cup wants to raise these values to the roof and invites the 450,000 expected visitors to share them.
Rugby was born during a surge of freedom in November 1823, with a ‘disruptive’ gesture by William Webb Ellis. During a football game, the British student grabbed the ball with both hands as far as the opponent goal. It was this wish to ‘break the rules’, surprise, and indulge the unexpected that the organisers have seized as a source of inspiration for 2023.
A exceptional competition with exceptional players. The World Cup carries the seal of the greatest players in history: iconic captains (Sean Fitzpatrick, John Eales and Richie McCaw), wingers (Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana, Mitchell Drew and Shane Williams) and strikers (Grant Fox, Gavin Hastings, Dan Carter and Sir Jonny Wilkinson). On the French side, Frédéric Michalak and Thierry Dusautoir gave the full measure of the French flair against the All Blacks in 2007. In 2023, players will total 600, from 5 continents and divided into 20 teams.
