Rugby experts from around the world coming to Brighton

World experts are coming to Brighton for a Rugby World Cup conference.

‘World in Union: Rugby, Past, Present and Future’ is an academic conference organised by the University of Brighton as part of the official Rugby World Cup Festival of Rugby. The conference runs for two days on 11 and 12 September at the university’s Falmer campus.

The university has been selected by the Rugby World Cup organisers to host the Samoan team at Falmer and the South African team at the university’s sports facilities at its campus in Eastbourne.

Rugby player's legs

Keynote speakers at the conference include Professor Tony Collins, from De Montfort University, who will speak about Rugby Union and Rugby League; and Dr Farah R. Palmer from Massey University, New Zealand, who will speak on the impact of rugby on cultural identity, wellbeing and leadership.

Other speakers include Michael Rowe from the World Rugby Museum, Twickenham, and Professor Kamilla Swart from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, whose research interests include sport and event tourism, with a specific focus on mega-events.