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DUNCAN JOHNSTONE
Last updated 11:34, March 19 2015
EXPANSION PLANS: World Rugby boss Brett Gosper is keen to introduce the sport into new markets.
World Rugby boss Brett Gosper has hinted at expanding the number of teams contesting the World Cup.
The expansion moves could come in 2023 as the sport's global administrators look to maximise rugby's growing appeal.
The next two World Cups, in England this year and Japan in 2019, will have 20 teams.
The hosts for the 2023 tournament are yet to be announced with South Africa, Ireland and Italy voicing strong interest in bidding while the United States and France have also been mentioned.
A move to 24 teams seems inevitable.
Gosper told a Sport Industry Group Breakfast Club gathering of sporting executives in London yesterday that including fringe nations into the World Cup would allow rugby "to promote the sport in their countries".
"As the sport grows and we conquer new markets the discussion is about looking towards expanding [of the World Cup], rather than contracting," Gosper said at the meeting which was reported by the BBC.
Rugby's moves come as cricket authorities look at reducing the number of associate nations involved in their World Cups.
Gosper hinted that a larger World Cup would involve juggling the size of the pools and not necessarily mean teams playing more games.
He felt rugby's showpiece event was the ideal opportunity to introduce the sport into new markets and cash in on the increased revenues from the tournament in terms of broadcasting, sponsorship, ticket sales and hospitality.
"Rugby is the fastest growing team sport in the USA," Gosper claimed, adding that giant markets in China, India and Mexico were also exciting. He described Russia and Germany as "growing nations".
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/i...-teams-in-2023
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