International
Facebook becomes official social media services supplier of Rugby World Cup France 2023
France 2023 and Facebook are pleased to announce that Facebook has become the Official Social Media Services Supplier of Rugby World Cup France 2023 hosted in France and experienced all over the world. As an Official Supplier, Facebook will support the tournament’s mission of making Rugby World Cup France 2023 a moment of sharing and celebration across all regions in France and around the world. (Photo: France 2023/Malice Cardot)
This is the first time Rugby World Cup has had an Official Social Media Services provider, demonstrating rugby’s growing popularity and innovative ways it is increasing its access to fans across the globe. Facebook will become the place where rugby fans from around the world will come together to follow their favourite teams and players, get information from the organisers and share their passion for rugby, before, during and after the competition.
As Official Social Media Services Supplier, Facebook will launch a range of exciting features including AR photo filters, LIVEs and other moments to create excitement around the event and reach a new generation of Rugby fans.
RWC 2023 “2 YEARS TO GO”: FACEBOOK HOSTS EXCLUSIVE LIVE SHOW ON 8 SEPTEMBER 2021
To celebrate and officially kick-off the “two years to go” until Rugby World Cup France 2023, a special show will be live streamed exclusively on Facebook on 8 September at 18:00 CET. Fans will have the opportunity to “go behind the scenes” of Rugby World Cup 2023 on the road to the opening match between hosts France and three-time champions New Zealand at the Stade de France. The show will feature special guests and personalities who will share their passion and insights around this international sporting moment. This will also be an opportunity to discover the ten French host cities and get a closer look at how they are preparing to welcome fans from France and around the world.
Rugby fans can watch the show and join the celebration on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at 18:00 CET on the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Facebook Page (Facebook/RugbyWorldCupFrance2023) or on the Facebook page Facebook (Facebook/FacebookFrance)
CAMPUS 2023: FACEBOOK OFFERS DIGITAL TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR FUTURE SPORTS PROFESSIONALS
Facebook will also contribute to the tournament’s legacy when they provide free digital training to 3,000 young apprentices as part of Campus 2023. This apprenticeship programme, designed by France 2023, aims to train the new generation of French sports professionals, and leave a legacy of new resources to sports clubs and regional leagues. Digital skills and community management are today essential to the success and development of sports organisations and structures. Facebook is committed to building local community and Facebook employees together with experts will provide free digital training to a new generation of sports professionals.
Claude Atcher, CEO of France 2023: “We are extremely proud to welcome Facebook as the Official Social Media Services Supplier of Rugby World Cup France 2023. The Rugby World Cup France 2023 will be a time for celebration and sharing for French and international fans both in and outside the stadiums. Facebook represents the biggest virtual stadium in the world and this collaboration will allow us to be even closer to Rugby fans and offer them new innovative experiences. Together we will share our passion for rugby, our values and engage with new rugby enthusiasts around the world.”
Laurent Solly, VP of Facebook Southern Europe: “Connecting people to their passion and creating community is Facebook’s mission and as the Official Social Media Services Supplier of Rugby World Cup France 2023, we will enable Rugby fans from around the world to come together on our platforms to celebrate their passion, connect with their favorite teams and players and share the values of respect and community that are core to Facebook and Rugby World Cup. Contributing to the local community is equally important to Facebook and we are also delighted to be part of the Campus 2023 programme and will mobilise our employees and experts to provide digital training to future sports professionals.”
ABOUT RUGBY WORLD CUP FRANCE 2023
Rugby World Cup France 2023 will take place from 8 September to 28 October 2023. It will be the 10th edition in history, which will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of the invention of rugby. The competition’s 48 matches will be held in nine stadiums, across 10 cities and seven host regions. France 2023’s ambition is to have a positive impact for rugby, the planet and France by delivering a responsible event that addresses the challenges of today and tomorrow. For the first time in the event’s history, and in accordance with the Rugby World Cup 2023 hosting agreement, the France 2023 Organising Committee has acquired commercial rights that enable it to build tailor-made official sponsorship offers through dedicated activation programmes.
ABOUT FACEBOOK
Founded in 2004, Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. People use Facebook’s apps and technologies to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses. Find out more about Facebook at about.fb.com
6 Nations
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship which will kick off next month.
The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC. A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Welcoming the news, IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys commented:
“We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition. With the success of the Emerging Ireland Tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.
“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs.
“It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.
“This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”
The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course. Ticket details will be confirmed via the respective provinces.
IRFU 150 Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship Fixtures:
Saturday, 16th November:
Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ (Creggs RFC, 1pm)
Friday, 22nd November:
Ulster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ballymacaran Park, 3pm), Leinster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (Lakelands, 5pm)
Friday, 29th November:
Munster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (New Ormond Park, 3pm)
Friday, 20th December:
Ulster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (tbc, 3pm)
Saturday, 21st December:
Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ollie Campbell Park, 2pm)
Weekend of 28/29 December:
Connacht Eagles v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc), Munster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 9/10 May:
Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ (tbc), Leinster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 16/17 May:
Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (tbc), Ulster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
6 Nations
Emerging Ireland Team For Final Tour Clash Against The Cheetahs Named
The Emerging Ireland team to face the Cheetahs in the final game of the three-match series in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (kick off 6pm Irish time, 7pm local time) has been named.
Leinster’s James Culhane will lead the team and he forms a new back-row alongside Harry Sheridan and Sean Edogbo, who makes his first start of the tour having come on as a replacement in the 29-24 win over Western Force on Sunday afternoon. Former Ireland Under-20 captain Evan O’Connell locks down with Darragh Murray, who featured in the opening 36-24 victory over the Pumas, with Alex Usanov named in the front row alongside hooker Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier.
In the backline, Sam Prendergast starts his third game of the tour at out-half and he will be partnered by Cormac Foley, who featured as a second half replacements against the Australian Super Rugby side last time out. Connacht’s Hugh Gavin forms a midfield partnership with Hugh Cooney, with Ulster’s Zac Ward named in an exciting back tree alongside the returning Ben O’Connor at full-back and Andrew Osborne who moves to the right wing.
Munster loosehead prop George Hadden, who was called up to the squad last weekend, is set to make his first appearance after being named on the bench alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka who started Sunday’s win. Hadden’s provincial team-mate Danny Sheahan provides cover once more at hooker, while Scott Wilson and Charlie Tector are also named on the bench for the Toyota Stadium clash alongside out-half Jack Murphy.
Looking ahead to the game, Emerging Ireland Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “When we set out at the beginning of our pre-camp in Dublin, we knew about the challenge of facing three sides in a week and we knew that every player in the group would have the opportunity to play his part. To a man each player has given his all so far and we are aiming to finish off the series with another positive performance on Wednesday.
The Cheetahs are a fiercely proud and strong side and it should be a lively game with a vocal home support behind them. It has been a fruitful past few weeks to date and we have learned a lot. While our performances haven’t been perfect, the players have embraced the challenge and played some brilliant rugby at times. The action has come thick and fast and we know that we have to be clinical in our execution. We will need to go up another level on Wednesday to get the performance we want and hopefully finish the tour on a high.”
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast once more on IrishRugby+ – click here.
Emerging Ireland (v The Cheetahs, Wednesday, October 9, 7pm local time, 6pm Irish time)
15: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
13: Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
12: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11: Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
10: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9: Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
1: Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3: Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4: Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6: Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
7: Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
8: James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster) (captain)
Replacements:
16: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17: George Hadden (Garryowen FC/Munster)
18: Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19: Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20: Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21: Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
22: Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
23: Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
6 Nations
Emerging Ireland Squad Update As Three Players Return To Provincial Action
Following Emerging Ireland’s 29-24 victory over Western Force in Bloemfontein on Sunday three players, Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Munster) and Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster) will return to their provinces.
The trio will leave South Africa on Monday afternoon and will be available for selection for their respective URC fixtures this weekend.
The squad will visit Heidedal Township this afternoon and will conclude the three-match series on Wednesday evening against The Cheetahs (kick off 7pm local, 6pm Irish time). That match will be live on irishrugby+
Watch the full match back here on irishrugby+
Check out the highlights from the win against Western Force below.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography