Assembly Rooms Host Rugby World Cup 2015 Ceremony

“There is a culture creeping in, I call it the football culture, of simulation, people appealing and players diving”.

“That is going to be sanctioned very heavily in this tournament”.

As part of the Amplify programme which feeds users sponsored real-time tweets from prominent events, ITV, the first United Kingdom broadcaster to embrace the medium, will share major moments from the Rugby World Cup.

In anticipation of evolving spectator expectations, we envisage all stadiums will be enabled with high-density Wi-Fi for the next Rugby World Cup. But better to nip these things in the bud now, than let them escalate.

An integrity unit will watch for match-fixing, independent concussion experts will assess head injuries and there will be a record number of drugs tests, some of which will be stored for reanalysis. In the event, no USA bid has emerged, with the general view that it is giving itself a little more time before putting its name into the hat for the 2027 tournament.

Now, incidents like Bryan Habana’s over exaggerated tumble against Owen Farrell past year are going to be treated a lot more seriously.

Rugby referees have been instructed to crack down on diving and feigning injury.

The result of all this?

Tournament organizer Mark Nunn said: “Hackney RFC held this tournament because we believe rugby is not a sport of privilege: it’s open to everybody, starting as close to home as possible”. Players are now very aware it won’t be tolerated. To advance the ball, you must either run it or kick it, and if you choose the latter, only teammates who were behind you when you kicked can play the ball or tackle the player who catches it. Everyone else is considered “offside” – a rather complicated concept we won’t get too deep into right now.

During the ceremony, which featured a performance of “World in Union” from the Maynard School in Exeter, the Australian team were presented with their Tournament Caps and Rugby World Cup 2015 Participation Medals.

– Each team fields 15 players at a time: eight forwards and seven backs.