Can you imagine a Rugby World Cup game in Croke Park? The GAA can

The possibility of Ireland staging the Rugby World Cup has become more than just a pipe dream after the GAA indicated their willingness to support a bid to stage the tournament here in 2023.

The possibility of Ireland staging the event was raised by the IRFU last February and became a widespread topic of discussion following last year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, where the hosts managed to put on a successful tournament despite the country's relatively small size and lack of large capacity stadiums.

If Ireland was ever to stage the competition it would require the use of a number of GAA stadia across the country, but according to a report in today’s Irish Independent, the possibility of making stadiums available is set to be discussed at a meeting of the GAA’s Central Council.

Without the help of the GAA, the Aviva Stadium and Thomond Park are the only two venues suitable for a major tournament, but with the association’s backing, the likes of Croke Park in Dublin, Semple Stadium in Thurles, Casement Park in Belfast and Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork could all be used as match venues.

According to current GAA regulations, Congress would have to change the rules a little bit because as it stands, Central Council only have the power to make Croke Park available to other sports and not other GAA grounds, but the prospect of a major international tournament in various GAA venues across the country would surely be enough to initiate a change on that score.

If that wasn’t enough, the huge financial potential such a tournament would bring would surely convince the doubters; after all, the GAA earned €36 million by allowing soccer and rugby to be played at headquarters between 2007 and 2010.

It might be a little early to get excited about it yet, but the GAA’s assistance would add serious clout to Ireland’s Rugby World Cup bid so maybe we can dare to dream after all.