With 200 days to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 kicks off in England, confidence is high that the showpiece tournament will be a success, creating a lasting legacy for the continued development of the Women’s Game. Aside from the smooth running of the global sporting spectacle, the Rugby Football Union for Women organising body and tournament owners Rugby World Cup Limited are working hard to deliver a Rugby World Cup that will offer a winning blend of international class facilities for teams and travelling supporters, while ensuring the perfect platform for the promotion and development of Women’s Rugby. With 200 days to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 kicks off in England, confidence is high that the showpiece tournament will be a success, creating a lasting legacy for the continued development of the Women’s Game. Aside from the smooth running of the global sporting spectacle, the Rugby Football Union for Women organising body and tournament owners Rugby World Cup Limited are working hard to deliver a Rugby World Cup that will offer a winning blend of international class facilities for teams and travelling supporters, while ensuring the perfect platform for the promotion and development of Women’s Rugby. The sixth Women’s Rugby World Cup, which will be played from August 20 – September 5, has already attracted significant interest and tickets for the tournament, featuring 26 matches at Surrey Sports Park, Guildford and four at the Twickenham Stoop, including the final and semi-finals, will go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 22 via Ticketmaster. Host Broadcaster SKY Sports will provide the platform for the exciting action to reach out to over 120 countries worldwide, ensuring that the 2010 Tournament will be watched by more people than any other Women’s Rugby World Cup. The brand new multi-sports development at Surrey Sports Park will host the Pool stages and placement matches following a multi-million pound investment programme which includes two purpose built Rugby pitches, plus exceptional training, warm-up and player accommodation areas. The 200 days to go countdown is a significant operational landmark for this showcase event. The global Rugby family awaits a Tournament that will provide a memorable chapter in the Women’s Rugby World Cup success story, delivering exceptional facilities for the participating teams, world class Women’s Rugby and a special festival atmosphere. It is an event not to be missed, said Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) Chairman Bernard Lapasset. Philippe Bourdarias, the Women’s Rugby World Cup Tournament Director, believes that a strong partnership between the RFUW and RWCL and excellent support from key stakeholders have been pivotal to the progress to date. “RWCL is extremely confident that, as we reach this landmark, planning and preparation is on track and ahead of previous Women’s Rugby World Cups. Anticipation is clearly growing worldwide thanks to the excellent working relationship between RWCL and the RFUW and the strong support of the English Rugby Community. We will continue to work with all stakeholders towards the ultimate goal of hosting the most successful Rugby World Cup to date through a suite of innovative ticketing and legacy initiatives. England Women’s Captain Catherine Spencer added, As players we have been building up to Women’s Rugby World Cup for a long time. Now with 200 days to go it is becoming very real in our minds and the fact that it is on home soil only adds to this. The excitement is certainly building. The tournament provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase our sport and we hope that supporters will enjoy the quality Rugby provided by all teams competing. Our preparation continues this week with the opening match of the RBS Six Nations against Wales.” The 12-team tournament sees three-time defending champions New Zealand in Pool A with Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Australia, and hosts England in Pool B. “The Women’s Rugby World Cup in England will provide a dedicated platform to build on the phenomenal recent growth in the Women’s Game worldwide over the last four years. The legacy from this tournament will be massive for the Women’s Game, with the profile of the sport and its ability to attract significant television audiences, sponsors, fans and new participants all taken to a new level,” said IRB Women’s Development Manager Susan Carty. The tender process for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 is nearing its completition with Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Samoa and the USA looking to host the Tournament. The IRB Council will select the Host Union at its May meeting, ensuring that the future host will be fully integrated into a dedicated observer programme this year. The official Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 website – www.rwcwomens.com – is now live, providing news, features, statistics and player information in the build up to and during the event.