RFU rebuff Cardiff RWC proposal

We have a very nice home of our own

Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Ian Ritchie has rejected a proposal from the Wales Rugby Union (WRU) that the England-Wales World Cup match should be staged in Cardiff.

Eight matches - including two quarterfinals - have been earmarked to be contested in the Welsh capital as per England’s bid.

And, after the northern hemisphere giants were grouped together for the 2015 global showpiece on Monday, WRU chief executive Roger Lewis suggested that the nations’ key Pool A clash be one of the fixtures played at the Millennium Stadium.

Ritchie on Tuesday, however, poured cold water on the suggestion, saying Twickenham, which will undergo a £76 million ($122 million) upgrade ahead of the tournament, is the ideal venue to stage the match.

"We have a very nice home of our own and I would hope very much we would contemplate playing the match here,” Ritchie said.

"We equally believe we are very good hosts here and that we could hold a decent game and would very much want to do that.

"We will not get a better opportunity to inspire people to play rugby, be volunteers and participate in rugby.

"We are putting the building blocks in place to make sure we can take the most advantage of having the World Cup."