Next World Cup can be best yet - Anderton

Published on Tuesday 25 November 2003 00:00

WORK could get underway in just two months to ensure that Scotland plays a part in the best-ever rugby World Cup being staged in 2007, it was claimed today.

Phil Anderton, Scottish Rugby Union commercial director, said that no time would be wasted taking steps to top the successful Australia-hosted event which ended in Sydney last weekend when England defeated the Wallabies to lift the title.

He said: "What we have got to aspire to is being a part of the best World Cup ever when Scotland hosts a group in 2007 for main organisers, France. We will get down to work next year so as to be able to hold our heads high at the end of the next global competition," added Anderton, who is just back from a visit to Australia where he took in closing stages of the tournament.

"Advance planning will be necessary and key will be ensuring that we don’t wait until two months before the start to put a promotion plan together."

Anderton, who took up his role in the wake of the disastrous 1999 Scottish World Cup presentation which featured low attendances and poor marketing, said: "Every effort will be made to bring in expert advice, if necessary, to orchestrate a successful Scottish element to the World Cup.

"Also, approaches will be made so that the end result is not just an SRU-run event but a reflection on Scotland promotional success as a whole.

"In that regard we would hope to work with organisations such as Event Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Visit Scotland and Edinburgh Council."