Newcastle and the Hunter region could play host to the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup, with details of Australia's bid unveiled on Wednesday morning.
Rugby Australia announced its intention to bid for the tournament at the end of 2017 and with submissions due this week, the national organisation revealed its plans.
Rather than host the tournament in a major capital city, Australia has opted to look at the more localised Hunter region, with matches played at Maitland Sportsground and Newcastle Sportsground No 2.
The final will be played at McDonald Jones Stadium, which plays host to the NRL's Newcastle Knights.
The decision is one based on ease of movement for athletes, with 12 countries involved in the tournament and a localised base allowing for an athlete's village setup north of Sydney.
As part of the bid, the NSW Government has committed funding to the bid, after announcing a '10 World Cups in 10 Years' plan last week.
Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle said the event would be a chance showcase the country's ability to host international tournaments, once again.
“The Women’s Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle event in Women’s XVs Rugby and we will show the world once again that Australia is unrivalled when it comes to delivering major sporting events.
“We have more women and girls playing rugby than ever before and we continue to see double- digit growth in participation in both our Sevens and XVs formats of the game. Hosting the tournament would provide us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase the best of the women’s game to the Australian public.
“I’d like to acknowledge and thank the NSW Government for their unwavering support of the bid and in backing our quest to bring the World Cup to Australian shores for the first time.
"I would also like to thank the Newcastle and Maitland Councils, along with the local community, for their enthusiastic support and contribution to our bid.
“Our bid demonstrates that Australia has the ability to tap into a rich history of major event expertise, a strong women’s sports movement, corporate support, volunteers and engaged sports fans in Australia that will deliver a record breaking tournament."
New Zealand, France, Portugal, England and Wales were announced as the other bidding countries earlier this year.
The winner will be announced by World Rugby on November 14.
To get behind the bid, use the tags #Ready, #BackTheBid or #Australia2021 on social media. For more info, visit australia2021.com.au.
