Newcastle and Sunderland grounds on list of potential venues for 2015 Rugby World Cup

Newcastle United’s St James’ Park and Sunderland’s Stadium of Light were included on the list which will be whittled down to a final selection of up to 12 confirmed venues next spring.

England Rugby 2015 (ER 2015), the organisers for the tournament in three years’ time, are keen to host matches right across England and it is expected that at least one North-East venue will make it on to the final list.

Both stadiums could yet be chosen, although the presence of Elland Road, in Leeds, on the shortlist could result in one of our region’s venues being dropped.

St James’ Park staged nine Olympic football matches earlier this summer, and Newcastle City Council officials are hoping the success of the Olympic tournament will help persuade ER 2015 to give their city the nod.

Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “I am delighted that Newcastle has made the long list of venues to host the Rugby World Cup 2015.

“As shown with the Olympic football, the city council and its partners can deliver world-class events which put the city on an international stage and bring huge benefits to businesses, residents and visitors.

“We would be delighted to be a part of the Rugby World Cup and look forward to the announcement of the shortlist.”

Sunderland’s Stadium of Light has established itself as one of the leading venues in the country in recent years thanks to a number of highprofile concerts featuring the likes of Take That, Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen, and the Rugby World Cup would be another attractive proposition.

Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re delighted that Sunderland has made it onto the long list of potential venues to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

“Sunderland has an excellent track record in delivering a wide range of major events and a fantastic reputation for the warmth of our welcome and the passion we have for sport.”