Contributed by Jonathan Leow

Singapore Cricket Club, November 5, 2008 – The World Club Challenge will bring together four major Rugby club teams from the largest playing nations in the Rugby world – England, Australia and France – to play professional Rugby at the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC). To be held in July 2009, this is a world-first tournament.

Said Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports: “This is certainly another notch in Singapore's efforts in becoming a sports hub in the asia pacific region," he said at the event. "As Singapore continues to attract a growing number of major sporting events, including the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race and Youth Olympic Games 2010, we look forward to having the World Club Challenge as another addition to our sporting calendar."

The World Club Challenge is an idea owned and created by the Amici group, working with the Singapore Cricket Club and the Emirates Western Force and supported by Singapore Rugby and the Singapore Tourism Board. Director of the Amici Group, Phil Greening, “This is a great opportunity to bring a world class Rugby event to Asia and to use Singapore as the hub for such an event. With the historic Padang as the backdrop, the World Club Challenge will have something for everyone,” added the former English Rugby International and professional player.

Singapore is the perfect stage for the World Club Challenge given its central location for the participating clubs who will be coming from both hemispheres.

This will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world, where clubs from across the globe compete in one tournament in the full 15 a-side game. Renowned professional clubs, Gloucester RFC (UK), Saracens RFC (UK) and a prominent French club (that will be confirmed soon) will compete with Super 14 franchise The Emirates Western Force (AUS). Teams will arrive in Singapore on the 24th July for a week of Rugby, promotional events and excitement.

The key event around the World Club Challenge will be the Junior World Club Challenge (JWCC) that will take place prior to the World Club Challenge where mini and youth teams from Singapore and Malaysia will compete at the SCC.