Ireland’s promotional video for their bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup will have you beaming with Irish pride.
It features four of our sporting legends promoting one of the stadiums we would use to host the world’s best teams.
Firstly, Brian O’Driscoll talks about the Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, where he heroically led Ireland on numerous occasions as captain of the rugby team.
Despite O’Driscoll’s achievements at the Aviva, he says he thinks “the best is yet to come”.
He also points out that 2023 will be the 200 year anniversary since the game of rugby was invented, and says there is no better place to mark the occasion than the world’s oldest international rugby stadium.
The next sporting legend to feature in the video is Gaelic footballer Bernard Brogan. He talks about the magic of Croke Park, a stadium where he has won four All Ireland Senior Football Championships.
Brogan says: “This is home, Croke Park. This place is steeped in history, and every year new chapters are written.”
The next sporting legend to star in the video is former rugby star Phillip Matthews. He says: “On May 25th 1987 I played in Ireland’s first rugby world cup game. Now, nearly 30 years on, Ireland is ready to bring the world cup to here, my spiritual rugby home, Ravenhill, Belfast.
“The roar of the crowd is special, this stadium’s heart is huge, so many memorable moments.”
Paul O’Connell is the final Irish hero to appear in the video. He talks about Thomond Park in Munster.
The former Irish captain says: “If ever any stadium was a fortress, this is it. You want atmosphere? This place has got it. When you put on a jersey in this stadium, it makes you bigger, it makes you better. We went 12 years unbeaten here.
“I’ve played all over the world but nothing compares.”
The video is truly inspiring and makes you proud to be Irish. Take a look for yourself below.