Russia captain Anastasiya Mukharyamova pictured handing over her country's tender documents to IRB Head of Communications Dominic Rumbles
Russian women’s rugby captain Anastasiya Mukharyamova delivered the formal tender today to the IRB for her nation to host the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2013. Mukharyamova hand delivered the documents to the IRB’s Dublin headquarters.
The 2013 event will be the final Rugby World Cup Sevens which will make way for the sevens game to be part of the Olympics in 2016.
Last year’s event in Dubai was the first time international women’s teams took part in the World Cup Sevens with Australia taking the title.
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The submission of the tender documents marks a significant milestone for the Rugby Union of Russia and also for a sport that continues to generate strong interest in new markets around the world,”
The Russian bid continues the strong growth of the game in the country with Moscow also set to host the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 2010 in May and the addition of sevens to school sports programmes as a result of recent inclusion in the Olympic Games.
The Russian women's teams plays regularly in European 15 aside competitions - usually at the FIRA Euros. Last year they competed in the European Trophy, beating Belgium but losing to Scotland and the Netherlands. The team also competed at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai last year, playing teams including the USA and Japan.
The two other bidding unions – the Brazil Union and the Dutch Union - have confirmed their withdrawal from the process of bidding for the 2013 event.
Brazil say their decision was reached after deciding to concentrate on a new six-year strategic plan aimed at reaching out to communities across Brazil to ensure that both the men’s and women’s national sides will be competitive at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
The IRB will now review in detail the Russian tender and the Host Union for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be selected by the IRB Council at its May 2010 meeting.
