Rugby World Cup organisers act over fan chaos in Marseille

The incident brought back uncomfortable memories of the organisational fiasco in Paris last year before the 2022 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.

World Rugby released a statement saying the 2023 World Cup organising committee was "taking steps to improve access" to the iconic stadium that is usually the home of the Marseille football team "following delays" ahead of Saturday's match.

Organisers will also deploy more volunteers to welcome fans at the stadium, increase rugby-related announcements on public transport and provide greater information on how, when and where to access the stadium, World Rugby said.

Late on Saturday night, World Rugby launched an investigation after some fans who struggled to get into the ground for the Pool D match claimed on social media that they feared for their safety.

This was the main entrance at the Velodrome yesterday before the start of the England/Argentina game. These queues dissipate a fair while after the game started...@Sport24news pic.twitter.com/odYIzglsEB

In May last year, the Champions League final at the Stade de France was delayed by 37 minutes as fans struggled to get into the national stadium after police funnelled them into overcrowded bottlenecks as they approached.

Police then fired tear gas towards thousands of mainly Liverpool supporters locked behind metal fences outside the stadium.

Ahead of the Rugby World Cup, France's interior minister Gerald Darmanin and Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera told reporters they were "confident" and had "learned lessons" from the football showpiece.