With the IRB Tbilisi Cup set to debut in Georgia in June, an expanded IRB Pacific Nations Cup to feature Canada and USA, Samoa to participate in a quadrangular tournament in South Africa and an extensive programme of Tests and Rugby World Cup 2015 qualifiers, there will be a record number of fixtures for Tier Two nations in June.
The Nations Cup will feature the Romania and Russia national teams alongside the Argentina Jaguars and Emerging Italy in a round robin competition that will be played across three match days - June 8, 12 and 16 - at the Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest.
With Rugby World Cup 2015 qualifying well and truly underway, the IRB Nations Cup will provide an opportunity for Romania and Russia to gain a psychological edge before the final push in European qualifying next year.
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Rugby is growing all over the world and the IRB is committed to delivering a more competitive, further reaching international Game in order that more teams can challenge for the top honours in the future."
"Thanks to the commercial success of Rugby World Cup we are able to provide an expanded competition platform for our Unions in 2013. The IRB Nations Cup has grown to be a popular and important annual event in Romania and the 2013 edition promises to be exceptionally competitive."
IRB Head of Competitions and Performance Mark Egan added: "We are committed to assisting our Tier Two Unions close the gap with Tier One through a programme of strategic investment, high performance support and appropriate competition structures. The IRB Nations Cup plays a significant role in that objective."
"Rugby World Cup 2011 and last year's November Tests proved that the gap is closing and we are committed to working with our Unions to ensure that we deliver a programme of fixtures that meets their high performance needs and provides them with the perfect preparation platform for RWC 2015 qualifying and subsequently the ability to perform well at our showcase event."
Romanian Rugby Union President Alin Petrache added: "It is an honour for Romania to host once again this very important tournament. For Romania and participating Unions, during the years, this was a great opportunity for high class matches. The tournament is growing each year and we hope to offer a great experience for both teams and fans and continue our legacy."
IRB Nations Cup 2013 Fixtures (all times are local)
Saturday, June 8
18:00 – Romania v Russia
20:00 – Argentina Jaguars v Emerging Italy
Wednesday, June 12
18:00 – Romania v Argentina Jaguars
20:00 – Russia v Emerging Italy
Sunday, June 16
19:00 – Argentina Jaguars v Russia
21:00 – Romania v Emerging Italy
Further Information:
Eoin McHugh, IRB Tournament Communications Manager, +353 86 0212 196, emaileoin.mchugh@irb.com
As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.
These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only
Últimas Noticias
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
