Inaugural Rugby World Club Championships

[jono]

i sent one today and i got the one back saying i was entered.

[AndyS]

It has been cancelled!
http://www.visitsingapore.com/publis...22&eventType=1

[jono]

looks like ive started putting away moeny for RWC earlier than i thought i was going to

[PerthGirl]

Bugger,we were thinking about going. Do you know the reason it's been cancelled, Andy?

[jono]

Singapore's RWCC gets canned
By: Ben Burrowes, Singapore
Published: Apr 16, 2009
Delicios Delicious Reddit Reddit

* RWCC cancelled
* Carried government backing
* Could be staged in another country

Singapore - The inaugural World Club Challenge (RWCC), a premier rugby event to be staged in Singapore in July, has been canned because of poor infrastructure and an apparent lack of sponsorship money.

Organised by event management company the Amici Group, the tournament was supposed to be another exciting date on the Singapore sporting calendar this year and part of Singapore's mission to become a regional sports hub. It had government backing as well as initial interest from sponsors but the initiative has ultimately failed to come to fruition.

Phil Greening, director of the Amici Group, told Marketing that "unfortunately due to the added cost of developing the facilities to be able to hold an event like this in Singapore, we have had to cancel the event in Singapore and are talking to other countries to hold this event".

Greening said "it was not through lack of sponsorship but the cost of building the facilities to a standard required".

A deal had also been penned with International Sportsworld Communicators to broadcast the RWCC live to 24 countries across the world - further enhancing Singapore's reputation as a genuine sporting hub. Companies such as Qantas, British Airways and Jetstar had thrown their weight behind the event as official partners while the Singapore Sports Council and Singapore Tourism Board were also supporting the tournament.

According to sources, the RWCC was still short of the required sponsorship money it needed to survive.

Four top international club sides: Australia's Western Force, France's Perpignan and England's Gloucester and Saracens had all confirmed their participation for the inaugural tournament to be held at The Padang.


article here:http://marketing-interactive.com/news/12218

---------- Post added at 20:07 ---------- Previous post was at 20:06 ----------

least the force get some recognition as a top international side

[PerthGirl]

Thanks for that Jono. I was under the impression that Singapore had the infrastructure needed, didn't they stage a round of the Rugby 7's recently? Perhaps they could take it to Hong Kong

[jono]

you're most welcome.

they did(the sevens i mean). i was under the impression that they had the venues to hold it as well.

hong kong could be a go-er, not really a huge move from a logistics point of view. or it might just be forgotten about. which is a shame. because it would have been great. singapore was the place to hold it. hopefully their government realises what it needs to do to make it viable as a host for this competition and gets cracking on it

[gotheforce]

The rugby sevens was held in a proper stadium i think.
They've closed the national stadium as its due for demolition, and a new sporst hub is in the works to be built. If Japan gets the RWC bid, it will host some games in that.

But the Padang, which was the intended venue, is an open air area. Not the best place if you want to hold a ticketed event, and something as big as the RWCC. It has 2 pitches but very small area. And not able to hold much people. Its alos just a piece of grass land about the size of the Soaks home ground with nothing in place (other than nets to stop balls from going onto the roads.)

Unlucky, was hoping to catch it at some point.

[BDAVEY]

Gee rugby in the southern hemisphere is taking a pounding I see 80,000 watch the club match in England last weekend!!!!!! We just dont have the population and bums on seats.

[Stone Cold]

if WA had a proper stadium we could host it here...

[eleypinkbit]

Did wonder if it was still on cos I had a link to the Singapore Tourism site which said it was cancelled several weeks ago, but then at the Lions match, they still had a comp giving away tickets/trip to go see it. Wonder if they'll refund my SMS charge for entering!

[sandgroperrugby]

Wonder if they'll refund my SMS charge for entering!

Good point

[travelling_gerry]

if WA had a proper stadium we could host it here...

Why not??

Surely MES is big enough?

[The Man]

Well this is the next time we play, so was their a competition with the SMS mention on this threat and what will the Force look like for this series

[Darren]

I noticed them advertising the win a ticket to see the Force in Singapore competion on the scoreboard last night