The Sports Corner

Russia aiming to be Rugby Superpower by 2019

Russia has it’s heart set on becoming a modern day rugby superpower and hosting the 2019 Rugby World Cup, according to chief executive Howard Thomas.

Russia, who is bidding for the rights to host the 2019 World Cup, is currently ranked 18th in the world and steadily developing its rugby program with a view to international success.

Billionaire oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich has funded the Russian Rugby expansion which includes the Russian professional league, new stadiums and a new rugby academy.

The new academy is recognized by the IRB as one of the finest in the world and boasts development manager Steve Diamond, the former head coach of the Sale Sharks and England A national team.

The Welshman was brought in two and a half years ago after managing the English Premier Rugby League and Guiness Championship confirmed that Russia has big goals in mind.

“We have the strongest club competition outside the Six Nations countries in Europe,” said Thomas, while speaking at the Rugby 2008 Conference in London earlier this week. “Russia wants to be one of the top eight countries in the world by the 2019 World Cup. We want to be quarter finalists at that tournament, even if we don’t get the honour of hosting the World Cup.”

Thomas knows it will not be plain sailing in a country where hockey and football reign supreme. However, he is also quick to tell others that Russians are far from ignorant when it comes to international rugby.

“The majority of the Russian public don’t really know about rugby,” said Thomas. “But we have men with real vision and passion who are determined to change all of that. The ambition for the game here is overwhelming. Russian men just have what I call the rugby DNA – they are big, hard, strong, aggressive, fast and very committed.”

“Russia wants to be at the very top of the world game in 20 years.”

 It is a lofty goal, but with large amounts of funding and a burgeoning development programme with some of the world’s best facilities, Russia look capable of moving up the world rankings. 

With the quality of personnel assembled you would be hard pressed to bet against Russia one day being in the top eight of rugby playing countries and challenging the traditional powers.