With the Pool Allocation Draw for Rugby World Cup 2011 taking place in London on 1 December and for the first time using the IRB World Rankings to seed the 12 pre-qualified teams from RWC 2007, the November internationals have taken on an added importance.
Total Rugby caught up with Head of Rugby World Cup Kit McConnell to talk about the interest ahead of the Draw and the next key milestones coming up.
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Total Rugby: You must be delighted by the interest generated ahead of the RWC 2011 Pool Allocation Draw?
Kit McConnell: "We are delighted with the level of interest in the build up to the Pool Allocation Draw on the 1st of December. We chose following Rugby World Cup 2007 to use the IRB World Rankings for the Pool Allocation Draw for the first time, and really the main motivation in that it was to reward the teams on the field in their rankings building into a Pool Allocation Draw for Rugby World Cup 2011.
"There has been a lot of interest generated around the November internationals, we have seen a lot of media interest and team comment, first of all about making the top tier around the [positions] four and five and secondly making the second tier around the positions eight and nine in the World Rankings. We have seen a lot of interest and we think by rewarding the performance of teams on the field we have really also added some interest to the November internationals."
TR: Why have the RWC 2011 Draw now?
KM: "The Draw is very important for us because from there we can develop the match schedule, we can select team base camps and we can also develop the ticketing strategy for the tournament. Those three elements are really critical to putting the building blocks in place early enough to make 2011 the same success as we saw in France."
TR: You are now based in New Zealand ahead of the tournament, can you already feel a little kernel of excitement building up?
KM: "Yes we definitely can, Rugby is foremost in the sporting minds of New Zealanders on a constant level, but certainly Rugby World Cup and hosting it in just three years now has focused the mind.
"Again the IRB World Rankings and Pool Allocation Draw give us certainty who will be in the All Blacks group and there is certainly a lot of interest around that, but as we move forward into 2009 in particular with the ticketing launch and the selection of the match schedule for the tournament it really focuses the mind and as you say the rugby public in New Zealand are certainly focused on Rugby World Cup 2011 even though it is just under three years away."
TR: What are the next major landmarks for you after this draw?
KM: "Well by having certainty about which teams are playing which other teams in each pool we can develop the match schedule and that is obviously of critical importance to the teams and also the supporters to know who is playing which other teams when and where and we will be making that decision, we will be announcing that in March 2009, so that is really the next key step in the tournament preparations."
TR: When are fans going to be able to get their hands on those tickets?
KM: "Well the ticketing strategy will be based on the match schedule and we are looking to develop that throughout 2009 and I think by early 2010, about 18 months out from the tournament, the fans will be able to purchase those tickets and we are really hoping that the grounds will be full in New Zealand as they were in France."
The RWC 2011 Pool Allocation Draw, which takes place inside Tourism New Zealand's 'Giant Rugby Ball' facility at Potters Fields Park in the heart of London, will be streamed live on www.rugbyworldcup.com on Monday from 1500 UK time.
