1 April 2005 Media Statement

Rugby world cup bid office set up

Sport & Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard announced today that Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC), and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), have set up a joint bid office for the hosting of the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

The bid office, administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers, will be responsible for overseeing the assessment and development of the country’s capability to lodge a competitive bid. It is jointly funded by the government and the NZRU - with each contributing $750,000.

Trevor Mallard said the government was supportive of the idea of New Zealand hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup, provided it was possible to produce a compelling bid document for the International Rugby Board (IRB).

“Like a lot of Kiwis, I am very excited about the prospect of having a Rugby World Cup in New Zealand again.

"But the tournament has expanded significantly since the first one here in 1987 and we need to carefully consider whether a bid is realistic. Specifically, the issue is whether the benefits to be gained from hosting the competition make it worthwhile,” Trevor Mallard said.

"The bid office will look at the costs and logistics of delivering a tournament of that size plus the economic and tourism benefits to New Zealand that might result.

“There is a lot of work to be done in the next six weeks to see if we can go up against South Africa and Japan.

“SPARC will be the lead agency for the government and will be working closely with the NZRU and the bid office to evaluate the feasibility of hosting the World Cup, including a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis,” Trevor Mallard said.

Trevor Mallard said that until the necessary work was completed, he would not be in a position to comment further.

The bid office is being managed by an advisory committee appointed jointly by SPARC and the NZRU. The committee will be chaired by former NZ International Festival of the Arts Executive Director, David Gascoigne. The other members are SPARC Chairman John Wells, former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon Jim Bolger, Air New Zealand Chairman John Palmer, Westpac Stadium Chairman Paul Collins, former Sydney 2000 Bid CEO and SOCOG Board Member, Rod, McGeoch, and NZRU Chief Executive Chris Moller.

ENDS

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