British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) and Swansea University have submitted a bid to the International University Sports Federation (FISU) to host the 2016 World University Rugby 7s Championships in Swansea.
The bid which has been submitted with the support of the Welsh Rugby Union, Sport Wales and Swansea Council has also received the backing of Wales and Ospreys second rower Alun Wyn Jones.
The 2013 Lions Winning Captain who graduated with a law degree from Swansea University in 2010 said; “ It would be great to see the 2016 FISU World Championships bring a major rugby competition to Swansea – my hometown. Wales is often described as the ‘Spiritual Home of Rugby’ and having travelled the globe on international duty and as a British and Irish Lions player, nowhere in the world compares to Wales when it comes to passion, knowledge and dedication.”
The 2016 World University Rugby 7’s Championships will be the seventh edition of the games following the inaugural championships in Beijing China in 2005. Most recently the World University Rugby 7s Championships took place in Brive France in 2012 where both Great Britain’s men’s and women’s teams where crowned champions. Great Britain has a long and successful history of participation in FISU Rugby 7s medalling in each of the last five events.
The 2016 event would be hosted at the Swansea University Singleton Park Campus, utilising the campus accommodation, catering and social facilities alongside the world class sports facilities to create a comprehensive Championship village.
Professor Noel Thompson, Pro Vice Chancellor at Swansea University said “Hosting the 2016 FISU World University Championships would be a privilege for Wales and Swansea. High level rugby competition is a priority for the University and the nation and these Championships would reinforce this commitment and sit naturally alongside the recently announced aspiration to host the 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup. With outstanding facilities and an integrated Championship site, Swansea University will deliver a competitor focussed Championships of which Wales, the UK and FISU can be proud.”
BUCS the national governing body for higher education sport in the UK, who are responsible for delivering Great Britain teams into international competitions, have successfully hosted European and World Championships in partnership with UK Universities in the past and believe the joint bid with the Swansea University offers unique advantages for FISU and the success and profile of the Rugby 7’s Championship.
BUCS Head of International Programmes Neil Rogers commented, “BUCS are delighted to bid in partnership with the Swansea University to host the 2016 World University Rugby Championships. Great Britain is widely considered the home of Rugby and Great British teams have excelled in FISU Rugby 7’s competition, most recently winning bronze in the 2013 World University Games in Russia.
“We believe Swansea will be the ideal host for the 2016 Championships and a successful bid will give our team the unique opportunity to compete in an international championship on home soil with home support. The event would follow the highlight of the world Rugby calendar, the IRB Rugby World Cup 2015 in England, and will take place just weeks before Rugby 7s is welcomed to the Olympic Games – an event which will see a senior Great Britain Rugby 7s team formed for the first-time, and which is guaranteed to have significant public profile in Great Britain”.
Following the submission of the bid, BUCS and Swansea will give a presentation to FISU’s Evaluation Committee in Brussels in October and will then find out if they have been successful when the event is attributed at the FISU Executive Committee meeting in November.
