English journalist may have just clinched World Cup 2023 for Ireland

"No country breeds more committed rugby supporters"

Robert Kitson was impressed with Saracens' latest Champions Cup dismantling of game opponents. He was even more impressed with the Munster fans. The rugby writer with The Guardian was at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday to behold a fiercely contested European Cup semi final between two sides on different arcs of their journey. Sarries are at the peak will Munster will hope their trajectory continues upwards. Spending two days in Dublin was enough to convince Kitson that Ireland has every right to host the 2023 World Cup, and that we will do a bang-up job of it. Kitson notes that World Rugby must a host from Ireland, France and South Africa by November 15. He writes:

'From a seat in the Aviva Stadium over the weekend, with the Fields of Athenry being belted out at full volume, the answer felt almost too obvious. 'No country breeds more committed rugby supporters. For years Munster’s fans, in particular, have traversed Europe, lending colour and passion to places where such qualities are not always universal. 'Mix in the diehard followers of Leinster, Ulster and Connacht as well and local enthusiasm for rugby union, albeit in its provincial format, is hardly in short supply.'

It is true, the support of the Munster fans at the weekend was immense and breath-taking. That first 10 minutes, as Munster tore into Saracens, was all broiling froth and passion. It was a partisan crowd willing their heroes on and doing all they could through force of will and emptying of lungs. https://www.instagram.com/p/BTPMVRHgb21/?taken-by=cjstander&hl=en Following Saracens' 26-10 victory, Owen Farrell, CJ Stander and Niall Scannell all remarked about how amazing it had been to play in front of that roaring sea of red. Of course, as Kitson notes, Ireland are by no means guaranteed the decision. France are claiming they will shift three million tickets, a million more than the Ireland bid team have in their projections. South Africa has not had a World Cup since 1995 and, since then, Europe has held three. Still, Kitson concludes:

'But step back for a moment, take a breath and ask what would capture people’s hearts and minds most in 2023: a Rugby World Cup in Ireland, France or South Africa? 'The answer, by a neck, is Ireland.'

Articles like this, prompted by the experience of being in the midst of full engaged Irish rugby fans, will go a long way to swaying public opinion towards Ireland's bid and, one hopes, strikes a chord with World Rugby's decision makers. Robert Kitson, you absolute daisy.