Loughborough University confirmed as an official Team Base for Rugby World Cup 2015
- 41 Team Bases selected for use at Rugby World Cup 2015
- Loughborough University will be a Team Base for three teams: Namibia, Tonga and the Play-off Winner at Rugby World Cup 2015
- Loughborough University Team Base consists of outdoor pitches and indoor training facilities comprising the Sir David Wallace Sports Hall, 50 metre swimming pool and Powerbase gym.
- 20 competing teams will be based across England and Wales
- Range of rugby clubs, schools, universities and dedicated training centres have been selected
- Team Bases extend the reach of Rugby World Cup 2015 to even more communities in England and Wales
England Rugby 2015, the Organising Committee for Rugby World Cup 2015 (RWC 2015), has announced the approved list of 41 Team Bases that will host the 20 participating teams during the Tournament, taking place in England and in Cardiff between September 18 and October 31 2015.
Loughborough University will be a Team Base for Namibia and Tonga at Rugby World Cup 2015. The University will also be hosting a play-off winner to be confirmed in October.
The Loughborough University Team Base will consist of outdoor pitches and indoor training facilities comprising the Sir David Wallace Sports Hall, 50 metre swimming pool and Powerbase gym.
A Rugby World Cup 2015 Team Base will consist of an outdoor pitch, indoor training facility, a swimming pool, gym and hotel and will be utilised by the competing teams in the lead up to and during the six week event.
The facilities must meet international team training standards and be located on one site or within close proximity of one another. Match venue locations have also been taken into account as part of the selection programme.
The search for Team Bases was launched via an open tender process in May 2013 and over 90 bids from across the country and in Wales were received.
Loughborough University has worked closely with England Rugby 2015 over the past 12 months to facilitate detailed site visits and liaison with the teams prior to confirmation of its status as an official Team Base for Rugby World Cup 2015.
With Loughborough University based in Leicestershire this gives the county further opportunity to be part of the world’s third largest sporting event and celebration of rugby next year.
A mix of rugby and football clubs, schools, colleges, universities and dedicated training facilities will be utilised by the 20 teams, taking the reach of the Tournament even further.
Ben Aherne, Sports Business Development Manager at Loughborough University said:
“I am delighted that Loughborough University has been selected as an official Team Base for Rugby World Cup 2015, and that we will host some of the teams who will be playing matches in the Midlands region.
“We have built our reputation on sporting excellence and have vast experience of hosting elite teams that have competed at global sporting events.
“Therefore we look forward to welcoming teams onto our campus and supporting their preparations for the Tournament.”
England Rugby 2015 CEO, Debbie Jevans said:
“As the organising committee for Rugby World Cup 2015 we are committed to ensuring that all participating teams have the optimum training environments available to them throughout the Tournament and in this regard we are delighted to announce our 41 official Team Bases for the event. Rugby, rightly, is at the heart of all our planning and we have worked closely with the teams to ensure that they have access to facilities and a Team Base that meet their individual needs.
“I would like to thank all those who have been part of the Team Base selection process and we are lucky to have some fantastic facilities right across the country. With a wide range of excellent facilities and locations secured the teams can be assured of having all their training needs met whilst allowing us to spread the reach of the Tournament even further throughout England and in Wales.”
The full list of Rugby World Cup 2015 Team Bases is available here.
Notes for editors
Article reference number: August News
The search for Rugby World Cup 2015 Team Bases was launched in May 2013
65 bases were listed as approved bases in February 2014, meeting the criteria to be a Team Base, 41 have been selected as the Official Team Bases for RWC 2015
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It was awarded the coveted Sunday Times University of the Year title in 2008-09 and has been named Sports University of the Year 2013-14 by The Times and Sunday Times. Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and has been voted England’s Best Student Experience for six years running in the Times Higher Education league. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen’s Anniversary Prizes.
