Are the Boks headed to America? World Rugby teases Rugby Championship games on US soil

Are the Boks headed to America? World Rugby teases Rugby Championship games on US soil

The announcement comes as the sport's global governing body steps up efforts to expand rugby's footprint in the US ahead of the 2031 men's World Cup, which will be staged in the country for the first time.

At a press conference last week, Gilpin revealed that 27 cities and regions across the United States have put forward bids to host matches, proposing 33 potential venues ranging from NFL stadiums to college football grounds.

Cities on the list include Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, and Washington DC.

With rugby still growing in popularity stateside, World Rugby is seeking ways to raise its profile ahead of the 2031 World Cup. Saturday's rematch between Ireland and New Zealand at Soldier Field in Chicago was a continuing part of those efforts.

Speaking ahead of the match, Gilpin indicated that more one-off fixtures could follow in the US, potentially featuring games from either the Six Nations or the Rugby Championship.

"There are many different opportunities," he said. "Can we bring regular season and other games? Can we bring some TRC games? Can we bring in the future Six Nations games here? There are more possibilities we want to explore.

"Not only will all those unions benefit from the experience and the commercial opportunity, but we will build a rugby audience here which will deliver a brilliant 2031 success for us all."

When questioned about potential pushback from traditional supporters, Gilpin emphasised that it was important World Rugby strikes the right balance.

"We want to find the balance between economic growth and fairness to fans," he said. "There are a lot of fans of [European] countries here. Why shouldn't they get the opportunity to attend, if it makes sense in the round?"

For the first time in the tournament's history, this year's Rugby Championship featured a match staged outside the participating countries, with Argentina and the Springboks facing off at Twickenham.

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