Irish came on 13th January 2022 and it is still not resolved. A year on from the Rugby World Cup in France, Tours is still not officially Ireland’s future base camp. Current world number one in the world rugby rankings (ahead of France) there is reason to call for the Irish selection, but there, when everything leads us to believe that we are coming to the end of an endless wait, who’s stopping?

A statement that is vague and clear at the same time

A press conference was due to take place on Tuesday 6 September to formalize Tours as the base camp for XV du Clover during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Ultimately, The conference was canceled at the last minute Postponed to a later date. According to the press release of the 2023 World Cup Organizing Committee “All the conditions are not in place to make it possible to formalize a team base camp during the tours in time”. A vague press release that doesn’t even acknowledge the prospect of seeing the green carpet rolled out to the Irish at Tours next year.

A profound lack of respect

The wait, already, is giving way to fury among fans of the Oval in Turin. Tours Rugby 2023/2024 starts with the president of the association, Bertrand Bourgault, who campaigned from the beginning for the candidacy of the city of Tours as the base camp for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

There is a profound lack of respect, we are talking about the World Cup and I feel that some at the highest professional level have behaved like amateurs – Bertrand Bourgault, Tours Rugby Association 2023/2024

Touranjo, an administration member at the US Tour Club, was shocked to hear the news and prepared everything. “Everything fell apart in a minute.” But the rugby fan explains that anger soon turned to anger. “There is a deep lack of respect, we are talking about the World Cup, a high professional level, and I feel that some have behaved like amateurs” Blaming Touraine.

Interested in checking out the new management contract for France 2023?

Bertrand Bourceault had no explanation for this postponement. The postponement of formalization is directly or indirectly related to the shocks experienced by France 2023 in recent days. Claude Acher, who was the general manager of the 2023 World Cup, was fired as a precaution. This follows an investigation by the Labor Inspectorate following an article in the newspaper The group It points to deep malaise and management practices.”scary“.

For President of Tours Rugby 2023/2024, “The contract must contain a non-lockdown clause”, If he could guess. Indeed, France 2023’s new management led by Julien Collet may be keen to take time to reassess the file.

Always optimistic!

Anyway, on tours, we like to be optimistic. Bertrand Bourgault remembers Irish coach Andy Farrell being seduced by the city during a tour visit. “He dreams of it with the Place Plumero, the Chateau Belmont, the Cher Valley, the future center of La Chambrerie. So let’s keep hope, “There will definitely be a tide on the tours in 2023“, Bertrand Bourgault was convinced.