Just try and get to the end of this without jumping out of your chair and shouting ‘come on f******* Ireland’.
Ireland entered the official candidate stage for the Rugby World Cup 2023 on Tuesday and to mark the occasion the IRFU released a video called ‘Ready for the World’ that will stir every single part of your soul.
Voiced by Liam Neeson, who gave his time voluntarily, there is the perfect balance between menace and passion in the Ballymena man’s dulcet delivery.
Don’t believe us? Have a look for yourself.
Ireland will duke it out with South Africa and France for the right to host a tournament which it is estimated will be worth is excess of €800 million to the Irish economy.
It’s about much more than money though – this would be the biggest sporting event to be held on this island.
The long list of venues being included in the bid include eight GAA stadiums.
This long list is:
Croke Park (83,200), Aviva Stadium (51,711), RDS Arena (18,677), Nowlan Park Kilkenny (26,000), Pairc Ui Chaoimh (45,770), Thomond Park (26,897), FitzGerald Stadium Killarney (38,200), Pearse Stadium Galway (34,000), McHale Park Castlebar (31,000), Casement Park (34,500) Kingspan Stadium (18,168), Celtic Park Derry(17,000).
The Chairman of Ireland’s RWC 2023 Bid Oversight Board, Dick Spring, said:
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Ireland to host one of the world’s biggest sporting events and we intend to ensure Ireland’s proposition will be world class and compelling.
We believe Ireland is ready to stage a Rugby World Cup like no other. A tournament that will capture the imagination of the world. A festival of rugby that will be full of Irish people’s unique spirit and an event that will help rugby to reach new audiences throughout the world.
Our entire bid team has been inspired to even greater heights by the Irish team’s heroic victories in recent weeks over the All Blacks and Canada. We need this inspiration, for while the prize is indeed great, the competition is fierce and we will need to draw on every creative and determined fibre of our collective being if we are to succeed.”
