Rugby World Cup 2019 will mark game's coming-of age, Greg Growden writes

Rugby World Cup 2019 will mark game’s coming-of age, Greg Growden writes

In exactly a year’s time, World Rugby can say it has grown up. No longer is it a myopic organisation.

After decades of fastidiously looking after the old boys’ network by ensuring only traditional rugby nations hosted the Rugby World Cup tournament, when Japan and Russia run out onto Tokyo Stadium on the evening of September 20, 2019 it will indicate the code is at last serious about embracing new territories, new boundaries, new cultures.