The 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup has been launched today at Twickenham. The event saw the announcement of the full match schedule and venues for the tournament which will kick off with hosts England taking on Ireland on the opening day.
The World Cup Final will be played at the Twickenham Stoop, along with the semi finals and bronze final with all other matches played at Surrey Sports Park, a new multi-sport facility which will host all 12 teams for the duration of the tournament.
Today's launch also saw the announcement of a number of strategies aimed at leaving a lasting legacy for the women’s game in England, including a ticketing policy which links the tournament to Rugby World Cup 2015. For the first time ever, tickets for a Women’s Rugby World Cup will be available exclusively through Ticketmaster.
Sky Sports will be the host broadcaster for the sixth edition of Women’s Rugby World Cup and have committed to broadcast live a minimum of seven matches.
“Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 in London is a marvellous opportunity to raise the profile of the women’s game in England. Women’s rugby is a rapidly growing sport but to have the showcase event on English soil will undoubtedly help raise the profile of the sport and get more people into the game, and we have a range of legacy programmes designed to achieve just that,” said Rugby Football Union Chairman Martyn Thomas.
The legacy programme has seen the appointment of 12 officers tasked with the delivery of 30 projects nationwide is an exciting development aimed at increasing awareness and participation in Women’s Rugby.
The IRB have also launched the official tournament website – www.rwcwomens.com.
“The inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai raised the bar for the Women’s Game, setting a high standard of competition and providing fans with exciting matches and unearthing new stars,” said IRB Women’s Development Manager Susan Carty.
“We now have a wonderful opportunity to take the Game to a new level with the tournament here in England. I have no doubt Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 will further highlight the huge strides that have been, and will continue to be, made in the Women’s Game.”
Click here for the full match schedule.
Pictures: Ilona O'Donnell
