Italy to bid for 2023 Rugby World Cup

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Italy has confirmed its intention to bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

World Rugby made an announcement on Wednesday setting out the timeline for selecting a host, with the successful nation to be confirmed in May 2017.

Ireland had already declared an interest in hosting the event, while South Africa is also in the running having added its name to the list following Wednesday's announcement.

And the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) on Thursday signalled its desire to host the World Cup for the first time in the competition's history.

"We will formalise our interest with World Rugby, as required by the rules of participation in the application process, in May [2015]," said FIR president Alfredo Gavazzi.

"But also by virtue of the support we have already received from CONI [the Italian Olympic Committee], I want to immediately confirm our intention to bid to host the World Cup in Italy in 2023."

Rugby has grown in popularity in Italy since the country joined the Six Nations in 2000.

The World Cup's only previous trips to mainland Europe have come when France served as one of five host nations in 1991, assisted Wales in 1999 and were primary hosts in 2007.

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