Lasitha Gunaratne at the France Rugby World Cup 2023 OCL

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, FFR President Bernard Laporte and France's NOC General Secretary Jean-Michel Brun inaugurate the France 2023 Organising Committee in the presence of the World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont in Paris before the France v England Nat West Six Nations match on 10th March 2018 at Stade Francais.

• Vice President of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) Lasitha Gunarathne was at the gathering.

  
  

  "It was a great honour and a privilege to be at this event, thanks to the head of organising committee Claude Atcher for inviting me as a special guest for this event, also i was able to witness the great French victory from the Stade Francais." 

  
  

  "I also thank the French Rugby Union president Bernard Laporte for giving Sri Lanka an opportunity for our men and women's national sevens team to train in France with their high performance unit." This is just a start of the legacy programme of 2023 Rugby World Cup." 

   

  The France 2023 Organising Committee comprises three partners: the FFR (62 per cent), the state (37 per cent) and Le National Olympique et Sportif Fran (37%) (CNOSF) (one per cent), with the following objectives:

  1) Prepare, finance, organize and deliver an outstanding event in sporting, technical, legal and financial terms;

  2) Promote Rugby World Cup 2023 in France and around the world;

  3) Project the image of France internationally

  4)Co-develop the Rugby World Cup legacy programme before, during and after the event

  
  

  Prime Minister Edouard Philippe: "France is back to being the home to large sporting events, because we hold it dear to our hearts and we have the know-how. France knows how to host and to give these events their global dimension. Engaging moments, fairplay, intensity, and ethics: this is what we aim to create with Rugby World Cup 2023."

   

  Bernard Laporte: "The establishment of the Rugby World Cup 2023 organising committee is the real kick-off of tournament preparation and today the scene and foundations are set for the delivery of an outstanding event. I am delighted to welcome the Prime Minister and Bill Beaumont, who represent the interests and support of the state and international rugby in this project. I would also like to thank the CNOSF, the public authorities and, of course, the people of France who will collaborate to deliver a very successful France 2023."

   

  Bill Beaumont: "The establishment of the organising committee represents a significant milestone in the already advanced planning for Rugby World Cup 2023. Global major events cannot be successfully delivered without a common vision and strong partnership and that is certainly evident in the joint commitment between the FFR, the French government, CNOSF and World Rugby to ensure an outstanding Rugby World Cup for France and the global game"