Wednesday 26 October 2016 16:39, UK
Bill Beaumont, the chairman of World Rugby, has admitted staging the next World Cup in Japan is a risk, but one he feels can be pulled off.
Former England international second-row and British and Irish Lion Beaumont, became chief of rugby's International Rugby Board (IRB) in July 2016.
Beaumont took over from Frenchman Bernard Lapasset, who had held the role for some eight years since 2008.
Back in July 2009, there was general confusion when Japan was awarded rugby's showpiece event for 2019 at the same time England's hosting of the 2015 tournament was confirmed.
Japan's performance at the 2015 World Cup under current England boss Eddie Jones changed opinions though, with their sensational pool stage victory over South Africa arguably rugby's greatest ever upset.
"We don't come in with a stick and say you have to do it this way," said Beaumont.
"It's about trying to engage the local population, the local sports bodies, the local schools, whatever the professional team is in that area.
"We need to try to work with them and get people to buy the tickets. We're not coming to a tier two nation, commercially. We're coming to a hugely successful, vibrant economic nation."
The 2015 World Cup in England sold a staggering 98 per cent of available tickets for huge prices, making it the most successful event in rugby's history.
However, with Japan a tier-two rugby nation there is wide-spread concern that attendances in the country will be down, but Beaumont while admitting it is a risk, attempted to quash such fears on Wednesday.
"I think for too long we have stuck with the traditional countries that we go to, and it's incumbent on us to spread the [game]," he said.
"In a way, it's a reward to Japan for all their contributions to rugby not only at the last World Cup, but throughout the years.
"We look at it as being a small risk coming here."
