It was revealed today that twelve schools and colleges will host teams at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, including the likes of 2007 and 1995 World Champions South Africa and the ’91 and ‘99 champions Australia.
RGS Newcastle, Trinity, Dulwich College, Leicester Grammar School, Warwick School, Newport High School, Eastbourne College, Brighton College, Haileybury College, Moulton College, Hartpury College, and Bicton College are the lucky few.
RGS Newcastle will host Scotland over the course of two matches, before Scotland then join the USA at Hartpury College for their matches at Kingsholm in Gloucester.
The USA will be making heavy use of School and College faicilities though, not only are they at the famous Hartpury College but they will also use Haileybury College’s facilities in Hertfordshire, along with Argentina.
Argentina’s group rivals, Georgia, are also making good use of England and Wales’ great school playing fields and facilities. They will spend time at Bicton College as well as at Newport High School, where they will be able to use the facilities at Celtic Manor, location of the 2010 Ryder Cup – a shrewd choice as Ireland have also chosen to use that location – as well as spending time at Bristol and South Gloucestershire & Stroud College.
Also using Bicton College are Romania, and they will also be using the facilities of another proud rugby school, Dulwich College. The triple U18 NatWest Schools Cup champions will be playing host to both Romania and the 1991 & 1999 champions Australia, and will surely be looking to pick up some tips to add to their own game.
Dulwich’s near neighbours Trinity School will be hosting France, who are looking to claim their first global trophy and are the only side other than Wales who will have access to Wales’ excellent facilities at the Vale of Glamorgan, base for the Lions prior to their Australian tour.
There’s plenty for schools on the South coast to look forward to aswell. Eastbourne College and Brighton University will both be opening up their facilities to two time winners South Africa, while the ever successful brighton College will be playing host to Japan.
Japan clearly like what English Schools have to offer, as they will also be spending time at one of last year’s top school sides, Warwick School, during the tournament.
Leicester Grammar School will play host to Canada and the Canadians, like many, will also be making use of some of the top University facilities. They will spend time at Swansea University along with Fiji as well as making use of Cardiff Metropolitan University’s facilities too.
As one of the country’s biggest University towns, Leeds’ Universities are rightly going to be kept busy during the World Cup. Leeds university and Leeds Met University will combine their resources for Scotland, while Leeds Trinity University will open its doors to the USA. Canada, who seem to be travelling around a lot, will be at West Park Leeds (host of many England camps) to prepare for their game at Elland Road against Italy.
The famous Loughborough University, which hosted the latest England training camp, will host Tonga and Namibia, and Tonga will also be using the University of Northumbria’s facilities as they prepare to face New Zealand.
New Zealand will meanwhile be at the refurbished facilities at Darlington Mowden Park, and will also be making use of the brilliant Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff, as will Ireland.
The Champions will also have a base in London at Lensbury & St Mary’s University, a top class facility given that the South African’s have also decided to use it. That will not be South Africa’s only University foray though, as well as the aforementioned Brighton University, also to be used by Samoa, they will also be spending time at Birmingham University.
Australia have secured the sole rights to Bath University’s outstanding and well known training facility, which along with Dulwich secures them two top class locations, while down the M5 Exeter University will host Tonga.
Nearby at Plymouth Namibia will be setting up camp but they will also have a base near London, at Cobham RFC, where Italy will also be present – one of the few sides with only one training base.
That is one of just a number of rugby clubs being used. Sutton Coldfield will host both Samoa, who will also spend time in Gateshead, and Romania, while Cheltenham RFC will host Tonga and Argentina, and the Royal Navy facility at Portsmouth will host the USA.
Perhaps the most impressive club facility of all though will be London Irish’s new training complex, which is set to be occupied by both Fiji and Wales, a smart move from Warren Gatland.
As new facilities go though there is perhaps none better than the Football Association’s new complex at St George’s Park, Ireland and Argentina will get first hand experience of those facilities.
So to England, they will not be using school or University facilities but instead will be sticking to their usual training complex at Pennyhill Park in Surrey, a smart decision from Stuart Lancaster. They will briefly train in Salford ahead of their game in Manchester though.
Not only then is the World Cup an exciting time for rugby fans, it is an exciting time for rugby schools and universities as they get to host, and witness first hand, the finest teams, coaches, and players in the world.
Rugby World Cup Team Training Venues:
Argentina – St George’s Park, Cheltenham RFC, Haileybury College
Australia – Bath University, Dulwich College
Canada – West Park Leeds, Leicester Grammar School, Swansea University, Cardiff Met University
England – Pennyhill Park, Salford
Fiji – Milton Keynes, Swansea University, London Irish
France – Vale of Glamorgan, Trinity School
Georgia – Celtic Manor & Newport High School, Bristol and South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Woodbury Park & Bicton College
Ireland – St George’s Park, Sport Wales National Centre Cardiff, Celtic Manor & Newport High School
Italy – Cobham RFC
Japan – Warwick School, Brighton College
Namibia – Loughborough University, Plymouth, Cobham RFC
New Zealand – Darlington Moweden Park RFC, Sport Wales National Centre Cardiff, The Lensbury & St Mary’s University
Romania – Sutton Coldfield RFC, Woodbury Park & Bicton College, Dulwich College
Samoa – Gateshead, Sutton Coldfield RFC, Milton Keynes, Brighton University
Scotland – RGS Newcastle, Leeds University, Leeds Met University, Hartpury College
South Africa – Birmingham University, Eastbourne College, Brighton University, The Lensbury & St Mary’s University
Tonga – Northumbria University, Loughborough University, Cheltenham RFC, Exeter University
USA – Leeds Trinity University, Hartpury College
Wales – Vale of Glamorgan, Portsmouth Royal Navy Rugby Union, Haileybury College, London Irish
