Rugby World Cup organisers say they are ready for Twickenham crowds

The contingencies have been worked through, the infrastructure and facilities laid down. The Rugby World Cup opens on Friday at Twickenham and the organiser, England Rugby 2015, is apprehensive about the hordes set to descend on south-west London during rush hour. But they insist they are ready.

“We’re always worried about moving 82,000-plus in and out of a city,” said Stephen Brown, the managing director of England Rugby 2015, “but we do it all the time here. The late kick-offs are a challenge for us, there’s no question about it, but this [Friday] is the hard one. It’s the big event, with the opening ceremony, so it starts a bit earlier. We need people in their seats by 6.30, so it’s going to be tough. But we’re ready for it.”