England awarded 2015 World Cup, Japan host 2019

Dublin: England will host the 2015 Rugby World Cup and Japan will stage the event in Asia for the first time four years later, the International Rugby Board (IRB) Council said.Japan, who lost out to New Zealand in the bidding for the 2011 edition and England, hosts of the 1991 tournament, were awarded the rights ahead of bids from South Africa and Italy.

The controversy of previous decisions caused by the "horse-trading" of votes was avoided as the 26-man IRB Council passed the recommendations of tournament organisers Rugby World Cup Ltd (RWCL) by 16 votes to 10. The RWCL Board, who were asked to review all the bids, argued last month that England would maximise the event`s commercial possibilities while a first World Cup in Asia would be a huge boost for the development of the game in that region. "We need two things more importantly now. The first is money for the game and the second is rolling it around the world," IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said after announcing the winners. England failed in its bid for the 2007 tournament when France won votes from the Home Unions after promising matches to Wales, Scotland and Ireland while Japan were surprising losers last time out. Organisers had said they did not want matches to be shared with neighbouring countries as has been common previously but IRB chief executive Mike Miller said on Tuesday this could be permitted if financially viable. While Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Noboru Mashimo said it would review its bid which included playing matches in Singapore and Hong Kong, England will push for the inclusion of Wales` Millennium Stadium. "The rules were made clear that all games would be played within the host union unless we were able to make a compelling reason and we are going to make that compelling case for the Millennium Stadium," England IRB Council member Martyn Thomas told a news conference. Bureau Report