John Thynne talks to RFU boss Ian Ritchie as World Cup fever comes to Twickenham
Ian Ritchie has his hands full. As Chief Executive of the Rugby Football Union, it is ultimately he who bears the burden of hosting one of the biggest events in sport: the Rugby World Cup.
“It keeps me out of mischief,” he laughs. “There’s plenty to do but that’s the fun of it. Working in sport is a great privilege, and doing it with a home World Cup coming up – it doesn’t really get better than that, frankly.”
Ritchie is more than up to the task. A self-confessed fanatic about “anything to do with a ball”, he has held numerous key positions in football – he was on the boards of the Football League, Wembley Stadium and West Ham United – and took the reins at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2005.
At Wimbledon he was instrumental in the introduction of the Hawk-Eye line judging system, equal prize money for men and women and the famous roof on Centre Court.
Ample preparation, then, for the challenges of an event that will draw half a million overseas visitors to more than a dozen venues across the UK.
“It’s all about giving people great memories,” he says. “Obviously you want things to be as efficient as possible – whether you’re talking about transport or catering – and, from an English point of view, you want to galvanise the country to support you.”
What Ritchie would really like is to recreate the atmosphere of national pride he experienced during the Olympics, at London 2012.
“I was lucky enough to have been at the Olympic Stadium when Mo Farah won one of his gold medals, and I will never forget when he came round that bend. I mean, the noise was just phenomenal. I know he said it inspired him and I’m hoping that connection with the country will help inspire the England team, too.”
The chance to be involved in a Rugby World Cup, he concedes, was one of the factors behind his difficult decision to leave the All England.
“Wimbledon was a fantastic place. But the lure of being the host union for a home World Cup – the pull was just too strong.
“Now we’re in such a state of excitement about what’s going to happen. There’s a certain element of nervous tension as well, but I’m sure it’s all going to be a fantastic success. We’d sold over two million tickets by early June, so we’re in a really good place in terms of packing out stadia. I think it really will capture the imagination of the country and, hopefully, provide a legacy too.”
The tournament travels to 13 stadia, from Newcastle in the North-East to Exeter in the South-West, taking in Wales’s Millennium Stadium and Brighton’s Amex Community Stadium along the way. By making the event truly countrywide, Ritchie aims to engage as many people as possible, thereby inspiring the next generation of players and fans.
“I hope there will be plenty of children who get the chance to see a rugby game, and who then go on to join their local club and try the game out,” he says.
To maximise involvement in what promises to be a landmark year for the sport, the RFU and England Rugby 2015 also launched the Festival of Rugby 2015 in June.
Running until October 31 – the date of the World Cup Final – it comprises rugby-themed carnivals, concerts, fetes, street parties and more at venues across the country.
Adding to the excitement is the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour, a global marathon that began in May last year, during which the famous Webb Ellis Cup has been shown off to audiences as far afield as Fiji, Madagascar and China.
Having arrived back in the UK in June, the trophy embarked upon a 100-day trip around the British Isles that will finish at Twickenham on September 18, in time for the opening ceremony.
“People seem to have – and I include myself in this – an insatiable desire to have their photo taken with it!” says Ritchie.
All of which activity can only help dispel the myth that rugby remains a middle-class preserve. It’s a perception, believes Ritchie, that is waning.
“If you look at England in the past year or two, I think, broadly speaking, about 13 of the starting team have been to state schools. The [RFU’s] All Schools campaign is specifically targeting state schools that don’t have any rugby. We have to make sure that we’re all-embracing.”
The World Cup, admits Ritchie, won’t be popular with everyone, but efforts have been made to curb disruption.
“There has been a fantastic collaboration between Transport for London, Richmond Council and our own transport advisers to try to minimise whatever disruption there is.”
The hope, of course, is that the overall impact on the borough will be hugely positive, especially in economic terms.
“I haven’t got numbers, but a lot of people are going to visit here, stay here, eat, drink and be merry here and generally have a thoroughly good time – hopefully in the best possible taste.”
Old Deer Park – itself a historic rugby venue – will host one of 15 ‘Fanzones’, where supporters can gather to enjoy the build-up to matches and a variety of other entertainment.
“Richmond Council has been incredibly supportive and we’ll do all we can to ensure good behaviour,” promises Ritchie. “But rugby fans historically have generally been very well-behaved. What we want is a festival atmosphere.”
Away from work, sport continues to dominate Ritchie’s time. A keen tennis player, he also managed to get his golf handicap down to 10 – “I never quite made the single figures I craved” – and loves watching his beloved Leeds United.
“My entire weekend revolves around sport. I’m afraid I’m not into whittling or creating things,” he laughs.
His own sons, now 28 and 25, have inherited their father’s love of ball games, and it’s clear that, for Ritchie, sport is every bit as much passion as profession.
“It’s just a great thing for children to do, both for exercise and in experiencing team spirit,” he says. “I’m such a huge fan. If I had a single wish for the World Cup, it would be that it inspires a load of children. Wouldn’t that be fantastic?”
Read our article on where to go for the Webb Ellis Trophy tour
