The tournament, which was last held in Edmonton, Canada in 2006, will be staged across West London and will involve the top 12 international teams in world rugby.

 

The Rugby Football Union Women (RFUW) and Rugby Football Union (RFU) fought off competition from Germany, South Africa and Kazakhstan to host the event.

 

Rugby World Cup Limited Board chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Thewomen’s Rugby World Cup is the showpiece event in women’s rugby and since its inception in 1991 has provided the impetus for the global growth of the women’s game.

 

“In awarding the sixth women’s Rugby World Cup to the Rugby Football Union, the IRB felt that the tournament would be best positioned to elevate the women’s game to new heights.

 

“The Rugby Football Union has considerable experience of hosting major international rugby tournaments, including the Rugby World Cup and with world-class facilities, strong tournament management and infrastructure and an extensive and enthusiastic support base for women’s rugby, it is perfectly placed to host a memorable and successful women’s Rugby World Cup in 2010.

 

“The Rugby Football Union in conjunction with the Rugby Football Union for Women will deliver a tournament that will leave a lasting development legacy that will further promote the growth of the women’s game.

 

"The English rugby community will, of course, embrace the women’s Rugby World Cup”,

 

Since the first tournament in 1991 the women's Rugby World Cup has been the catalyst for the tremendous growth in the women's game worldwide.

 

In England, as of the 2007/2008 season, there were 567 affiliated clubs playing rugby [senior and youth] and 12,302 women and girls playing the game.

 

In 2006 England reached the final of the event, losing 25-17 to New Zealand.

 

England are the reigning RBS Six-Nations, Grand Slam, European Cup and Nations Cup champions.

 

Rosie Williams, the managing director of the RFUW, said: “We are delighted to have been selected to host this great event.

 

"Hosting an international rugby tournament in London will be great for the growth and profile of women’s rugby.

 

"We have had some great support from UK Sport and Visit London and this has helped strengthen our bid.

 

"The infrastructure is in place at the RFU and we will host a world-class tournament for players and spectators alike.”

 

England women’s head coach Gary Street said: “This is fantastic news, not only for the England team, but it’s a real reward for all of the RFUW’s members and volunteers who have worked tirelessly within the game for a number of years. 

 

“Our structures are now producing some excellent players and results, and it will be fitting to assess them against the world’s best, at the greatest rugby competition of them all.

 

"The chance to play for the World Cup in front of our own supporters is incredibly exciting and will give us an even greater focus over the next two years.

 

“Our plan will be to produce the best women’s tournament so far and continue the impetus and growth within the game as we look forward to 2010 and beyond.”

 

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: “'Women's rugby has been growing over the last few years, so it’s splendid news that London is to host the women’s Rugby World Cup in 2010.

 

"There is strong support for the women's game in London, and England are a triple Grand Slam winning team, so here's to a successful as well as exciting tournament in two years' time.”

 

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: “I would like to congratulate the RFU and RFUW in winning the right to host the Rugby World Cup.

 

"This is the latest addition to what will be a fantastic decade of sporting events hosted in Britain.

 

"This will enable the RFU and RFUW to shine a spotlight on the women’s game and help increase participation among women in the sport.

 

"I wish the RFU and RFUW the best of luck in their preparations for staging the event and am sure it will be a great success.”

 

Government agency UK Sport are supporting the event with £150,000 worth of National Lottery funding.

 

Simon Morton, the events consultant at UK Sport, said: “UK Sport’s investment highlights our continued desire to attract world-class women’s sport to our shores, with now around £500,000 invested in women-only events in 2010 alone [£338,000 has also been invested in the FIH Women's Champions Trophy to be held in Nottingham in 2010].

 

"In addition, the event further cements our links with the rugby union community, having previously supported last year’s under-19 World Championships in Belfast and the Junior World Championships which took place earlier this year in Wales.

 

"We are delighted the bid has been successful, and look forward to working with the RFU and RFUW on staging a World Cup of which we can all be proud.”

 

The announcement is another significant boost for the women’s game, which is experiencing an unprecedented level of worldwide competition.

 

The global qualifying process for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 in Dubai is well underway with 11 of the 16 women’s teams having booked their place at the tournament.

 

By its conclusion in late October, the qualifying process will have involved 83 women’s teams.

 

Lapasset said: “The women’s game is going through a phase of exciting growth.

 

“In 2006 the IRB unveiled a strategic plan specifically for the women’s game and that identified the pathway for the ongoing growth of women’s rugby.

 

"It was supported by a targeted funding plan of over £3 million for the period 2006-2010, which culminates in two critical tournaments; women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai next year and then women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 in England.

 

“These two tournaments, coupled with a global qualification process and existing tournament structures, will guarantee an unprecedented level of elite women’s competition for around 90 Unions over the next two years.

 

"This expanded competition pathway underpinned by the Women’s strategic plan point to what promises to be the most competitive women’s Rugby World Cup ever in 2010."

 

The global qualification process for women’s Rugby World Cup, involving all six IRB regions for the 2010 tournament will be announced by the end of the year with qualifying expected to kick off in 2009.