Brunel University is delighted to announce that it has today been confirmed on the approved list of team training bases for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The tournament, which is the world’s third largest sports event, will see the top 20 nations compete for the coveted Webb Ellis trophy in September and October next year.
With the world class sports and conference facilities on Brunel’s Uxbridge campus being less than 10 miles from iconic Rugby World Cup venues Twickenham and Wembley, Brunel is ideally placed to provide an inspirational training environment for the very best teams.
Bases on the approved list are not guaranteed to host teams; however they will be used to provide the competing nations with their Team Base options, many of which are currently undertaking visits of prospective bases.
A Team Base must include an indoor and outdoor training facility, a gym, an indoor swimming pool and a hotel. These facilities must meet international team training standards and be located in close proximity of one another. Match Venue location has also been taken into account. England 2015 requires up to 50 bases for use during the tournament. These will be confirmed mid-2014 following completion of team visits and selection.
Visiting teams for the tournament will benefit from Brunel’s upcoming investment in a new floodlit rugby pitch on the Sports Park as well as the elite strength and conditioning gym in the Indoor Athletics Centre, regularly used by the University’s Sports Performance Programme athletes, the Great Britain athletics team, and England Netball team.
Through its Commercial Services Directorate, Brunel is able to offer a one-stop-shop of sports facilities, hotel accommodation, bespoke catering, and meeting venues to suit individual team requirements.
Team managers from some of the 13 nations already qualified for the tournament have been to campus to see what Brunel has to offer and will be feeding their requests into the Organising Committee ahead of the final selection of team bases later in 2014.
Should Brunel be chosen by one or more of the teams, it won’t be the first time that the University has hosted teams for a major event having been the official training camp venue for the Korean Olympic team and Canadian Paralympic team in 2012 and the regular summer base for Usain Bolt’s Racers Track Club since 2009.
Director of Sport, Paul Dimmock said, “It is fantastic news that Brunel has been confirmed on the shortlist for Rugby World Cup 2015 Team Bases. It builds on the legacy of our London 2012 training camps and our longstanding relationships with world class sports programmes.
“This, coupled with our investment in rugby facilities this year, will provide a boost to the University’s Rugby Performance Programme, which aims to re-establish Brunel as one of the UK’s premier rugby universities.”