Coe, now head of the British Olympic Association (BOA) and vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), spoke here this morning during the inaugural International Rugby Board (IRB) Conference and Exhibition.

He drew on his experience throughout his decade preparing for London 2012 and described focusing on athletes as the best advice for hosting a successful event.

"Good administrators see sport in the eyes of competitors," he said.

"If you deliver a Games with competitors at the centre, and if you give them everything they need to compete at the highest level, the crowds will be happy also and everything else will fall into place.

Coe praised England 2015 chief executive Debbie Jevans, who he worked with in her previous role as Director of Sport for London 2012, as an "exceptional person" who like him has the advantage of knowing this athlete perspective due to her background as a tennis player, which included reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon in 1979 when she was beaten by Virginia Wade. 

As with London 2012, which for Coe "was about sport and inspiring more people to take up sport" he sees raising rugby participation levels as a core concept of the World Cup and insisted that "if you have young people and athletes at centre, you can't go far wrong."

Coe was being questioned by a member of England's 2003 World Cup winning team in Will Greenwood ©Getty Images



In terms of framing the World Cup, he claimed the two most important dimensions are "how" and "why" - as well as sticking to a planned vision.

"You have to balance creativity and budget but also have to deliver that vision - so if you've promised athletes free internet and WiFi, for example, you have to deliver on that," he said.

"That is what keeps local communities on board because they can see that you're not playing fast and loose with your language."

In an entertaining exchange with World Cup winner Will Greenwood - in which Coe was introduced as "a sporting rock-star" - he borrowed the tongue in cheek description of Sydney 2000 chief executive Sandy Hollway as to the five stages of hosting any successful Games. 

These are "euphoria, panic, persecution of innocent, delivery and success, and then the glorification of those not involved."

He also highlighted the importance of volunteers which, after first emerging at London 1948, and are the "difference between a good and a great event."

Coe concluded by using his personal example of Mexico City 1968 to describe how "big events are what gets people into sport," before adding that England 2015 will indeed have a massive impact and inspire the next generation of athletes.

This was something Jevans, another speaker at the conference, has repeatedly highlighted as part of this "vision" for England 2015.

Chief executive Debbie Jevans is confident that 2015 will be the best World Cup ever ©Getty Images


"It comes down to planning, detail, and knowing what your vision is embedded in decision making and ambition," Jevans told insidethegames.

Part of this decision-making process involved reaching venues in non-traditional rugby areas, such as East London and the North West of England - through matches at the Olympic Stadium and Etihad Stadium - and this is to draw new people into the sport.

"When we say we want the best ever World Cup, we mean planning everything in great detail and controlling the things we can control," she said.

"This involves making sure we have the infrastructure absolutely correct and are laying a platform for the teams to perform to the best of their abilities. 

"We have this vision in place as well as a great team - of 53 [staff] now but it should be about 70 by Christmas - and we will continue to go forwards to make 2015 the year of rugby."