The Geography of the Rugby World Cups and Some Tourism Issues

Abstract

According to legend, a kind of sport called rugby was born in the English town of Rugby on April 7, 1823, when William Webb Ellis, a local student and football player, took a ball in his hands and put it down in the goal of the opposing team. This legend is officially denied today, but it is important because the cup of the Rugby World Championship is named the “William Webb Ellis Cup." Rugby was formed and spread during the 19th and 20th centuries, and both processes continue. Its spreading beyond the British Commonwealth became more or less difficult because of the conservatism of the Brits. For example, the British formed the “IRFB” (International Rugby Football Board) in 1886, which became the “IRB” (International Rugby Board) in 1997. However, as they did not admit France to this organisation, this state formed a separate union called “FIRA” (Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur) in 1934, which is “Rugby Europe” today. The first Rugby World Cup was held only in 1987 for various reasons. Nine tournaments were organised between 1987 and 2019, and the 10th one will open this year, in September–October 2023, on the 200th anniversary of the establishment of rugby. The arrangement of the world and regional championships often encounters problems, despite some written and unwritten laws. Tourism-related financial issues are one of the most significant troublemakers. They create obstacles for organising committees and hinder the spread of rugby’s popularity around the world. At the same time, they cause problems with the promotion of Georgia’s national team to a higher regional level, which is one of the most important goals for Georgian rugby players and supporters. The main sources of this article comprise some English and French magazines related to various world tournaments, interviews with rugby specialists, and the plentiful information accumulated during many years of my own connection with the world of rugby.