The International Rugby Board ( IRB ) has formally announced that The Bahamas Rugby Football Union (BRFU) has won the bid to host the IRB World Championship (2009) Qualifier.


The event will be held in Nassau on October 25th & 26th, 2008.


The Bahamas outbid Trinidad & Tobago to win the right to host this major regional tournament, due in part to the success of the 2007 North America & West Indies (NAWIRA) Sevens that were hosted by the BRFU in November of this year.


The top two teams in the region will go on to represent NAWIRA in the World Championships which will be held in Dubai in February 2009.


The World Championship Qualifier is bigger than the NAWIRA Sevens in that every team in the region will attend and there is much more at stake. As well as the NAWIRA teams that played in November, we should also see women's teams from Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman, Bermuda, Barbados and The Bahamas, wile the USA & Canada will send a full strength squad and not development teams.
In the Men's competition, we can expect Mexico, Cayman, Barbados, Guyana, Bermuda, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and The Bahamas to be joined by the British Virgin Islands and St. Lucia, while the USA and Canada will also be sending their strongest possible squads.

Martinique, Guadeloupe and Turks & Caicos will not be represented because although they are members of NAWIRA, they do not have full IRB status.


Being awarded this prestigious event is another indication that Bahamian Rugby is gaining respect within the region. Its now down to our players to ensure they play their part.....