Player Welfare Strategic Investments Rugby Sevens Tournaments Rugby World Cup Financial Report 2009 YEAR IN REVIEW rugby family celebrates olympic games inclusion 4 providing excellent 12 developing the 22 delivering rugby’s service to member unions game globally major tournaments 6 IRB Council and Committees 14 Strategic investment 24 RWC – the big decisions 8 Key Council/EXCO decisions 16 Training and education 26 The road to New Zealand 2011 10 Member Unions and Regional 18 Game analysis 28 RWC – two years to go Associations 20 Historic year for the Women’s Game 30 Olympic Games 32 RWC Sevens 2009 34 IRB Sevens World Series 36 IRB Toshiba Junior World Championship 38 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 40 ANZ Pacific Nations Cup 41 IRB Nations Cup 42 Other International tournaments contents 44 promoting and 54 media and communications 72 financing the investment protecting the game 56 Total Rugby in rugby’s growth and its core values 58 IRB online 74 Financing the global Game 46 Supporting a healthy lifestyle 59 2009 Inductees to the IRB Hall of Fame 76 Financial report and accounts 48 Player welfare 60 IRB World Rankings 92 Meet the team 50 Match officials 62 IRB Awards 2009 52 Anti-doping 64 World results 2009 70 Key fixtures 2010 Year in Review 2009 1 Rugby Reaches Out tO the olympic games 2 International Rugby Board www.irb.com foreword Bernard Lapasset, IRB Chairman, looks back on an historic year 2009 in october, members of the sure that we will now see great growth within world class Rugby and the unique, colourful experience that only a country with such a rich international olympic committee emerging Rugby markets such as China, Russia, India and the USA. We look forward to the Rugby tradition can offer. elected to have rugby sevens continued development of the Sevens game Furthermore, the RNZ 2011 organising admitted into the 2016 and 2020 alongside the Fifteens game. body is well advanced with its management, olympic games, marking another We are excited and honoured to be joining the operational planning and venue logistics, significant chapter in the history of Olympic Games and I would like to thank the and the commercial, ticketing, staffing and the game. IOC members for believing in our Olympic vision media programmes are ahead of schedule. and our values and recognising that Rugby The Tournament schedule has already been The IRB is both proud and honoured to be Sevens is a perfect fit for the Olympic Games. announced and the first phase of tickets sales joining the Olympic family. The Olympic Games The Rugby family is looking forward to Rugby is due to take place early next year. will be the pinnacle of the sport for all our Sevens in Rio de Janeiro and showcasing our On the field, the qualifying process for athletes and the Rugby family, who were unified wonderful sport on the world’s greatest stage. RWC 2011 that started in April 2008 when in their support of the campaign. The best men’s A huge factor in the campaign was the staging the Cayman Islands played host to Trinidad and women’s players in the world are excited to of a record-breaking Rugby World Cup Sevens and Tobago, is reaching its climax. The play-offs be able to showcase their talent on the world’s 2009 in Dubai. The event, which featured a in 2010 will bring to a close the qualifying greatest sporting stage and will be proud to call women’s tournament for the first time, was a process that has incorporated 185 matches and themselves Olympians. resounding success showcasing the truly global 82 countries. Of course, much work lies ahead, and now and competitive nature of Rugby Sevens, Operationally, of course, much has still to be we must work with every National Olympic reaching out to more fans, television viewers done and the challenge is to ensure that we Committee to develop their men’s and women’s and sponsors than ever before. Wales were maintain the excellent momentum and that we Sevens teams and work with members of the worthy winners of the Melrose Cup while deliver what promises to be a wonderful Rugby Olympic family to share knowledge, benefit Australia made history by claiming the inaugural World Cup 2011. from one another’s experience and promote Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens title. Staying with Rugby World Cup matters, the growth of sport and its core values around In addition to our Olympic campaign, the IRB’s 2009 was a historic year for the tournament the world. focus on its core business continued in force, with the IRB Council awarding RWC 2015 to We must ensure that Rugby Sevens’ debut including the roll out of global development England (RFU) and RWC 2019 to Japan (JRFU). in the Games is memorable and ultimately initiatives across Africa, Asia, Europe, the The allocation of the tournaments at the same successful, but it is more than running a superb Americas and Oceania despite the challenging time enables RWC Limited and the Host Union Rugby Sevens tournament for men and women. economic climate. greater certainty over operational and We will ensure appropriate development Following the resounding success of the commercial delivery and further enhances programmes are implemented, qualification first round of strategic investments through the the ability to deliver world class tournaments. structures finalised and competition pathways £30 million Strategic Investment Programme In another first, the awarding came after a fixed to ensure that Sevens can continue its (2006-2009), the continued commercial tender process that included a recommendation incredible success story on the global stage success of Rugby World Cup will allow the IRB from the RWCL Board. A record number of and prove a wonderful addition to the Olympic to embark on a further £48 million of investment Unions tendered for either one or both Games. in the Game in the form of High Performance tournaments. All of the tenders were of a very Rugby Sevens’ fast and exciting pace, the investment starting next year. The total high standard, which is a tribute to the health of fittest and quickest athletes on show in full investment in global Rugby between 2009-2012 the Game and the enormous prestige of RWC. stadiums packed with enthusiastic young fans will be an unprecedented £153 million. The continuity of England and Japan as host provides a highly competitive and attractive Work continues on the review of many of the nations for RWC will create new opportunities event to fans, broadcasters and sponsors. Game’s Regulations. This is important work and help maximise commercial revenues for Indeed Olympic Games inclusion, voted in by as the IRB aims to ensure that, in a quickly re-investment in the Game. It is an exciting a majority of 81-8, is without doubt the biggest developing global sport, the Regulations remain combination for Rugby World Cup and one event to have happened to our sport since the relevant. Regulations 4, 7, 11, 17, 23 are among which we think will enable the sport to reach Game going open or the inception of Rugby the regulations that the IRB’s Regulations developing Rugby markets and therefore World Cup. It will have a profound and hugely Committee gave particular consideration to contribute to the continued growth of the Game positive effect for the Game worldwide, leading during the year. and its values worldwide. to increased playing numbers, even greater Planning for Rugby World Cup 2011 is levels of interest and unlocking national support. very much on track and we are confident that Playing on the world’s greatest sporting stage the tournament, played across 13 venues, will also provide the perfect showcase for will be a spectacular, memorable and ultimately Sevens. More people in more countries around successful event. Rugby World Cup 2011 in the world will be inspired by the action and I am New Zealand will offer an irresistible mix of Year in Review 2009 3 4 International Rugby Board www.irb.com eXceLLeNt seRVIce tO MeMbeR uNIONs Year in Review 2009 5 IRB COUNCIL 2009 Chairman Canada Ireland North American and Wales Bernard Lapasset Chris Le Fevre Pat Whelan Caribbean (NACRA) David Pickering Vice Chairman Rick Bourne (I) Peter Boyle Pearse Higgins Gerald Davies Stephen Hilditch (I) Roger Lewis Bill Beaumont England Oceania (FORU) Martyn Thomas Italy Harry Schuster Africa (CAR) Jonathan Dance Giancarlo Dondi (I) Interim Meeting Abdelaziz Bougja Scotland Fabrizio Gaetaniello (J) July Meeting Europe (FIRA-AER) Bill Nolan Argentina Raul Martins Japan Gordon McKie Porfirio Carreras Jean-Claude Baque (J) Ichiro Kono South Africa Asia (ARFU) France New Zealand Oregan Hoskins Noboru Mashimo Pierre Camou Graham Mourie Johan Prinsloo Australia Jacques Laurans Steve Tew South America (CONSUR) Peter McGrath Jean-Louis Barthes (J) Ricardo Paganini John O’Neill irb council and committees 6 International Rugby Board www.irb.com irb council and committees EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE DESIGNATED MEMBERS FOR ANTI-DOPING ADVISORy RULINGS IN LAW COMMITTEE Bernard Lapasset (Chairman) Chairman Bill Beaumont Jacques Laurans Chairman Chairman Bill Nolan Peter Boyle Members Bernard Lapasset Giancarlo Dondi Abdelaziz Bougja Members Members Oregan Hoskins Jonathan Dance Graham Mourie Dr Roger Evans Peter McGrath Noburo Mashimo David Pickering Tim Gresson Mike Miller Peter McGrath Dr Ismail Jakoet Graham Mourie LAWS PROjECT GROUP Steve Tew Prof Ichiro Kono Bill Nolan REGULATIONS COMMITTEE Chairman Graham Mew David Pickering Bill Nolan Gregor Nicholson Chairman RUGBy COMMITTEE Members Bill Nolan Peter Boyle Bill Beaumont Dr Barry O’Driscoll Chairman Members Bruce Cook Graham Mourie Gerald Davies Ian McIntosh IRB Council Giancarlo Dondi Members Mick Molloy Back row: P.