World Rugby chief confident about World Cup safety despite Champions League fiasco

World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin says he is "confident" about fan safety with one year to go to the Rugby World Cup in France despite the security issues surrounding May's Champions League final held in Paris.

The kick-off for the match between Liverpool and Real Madrid in the French capital was delayed as supporters struggled to get through bottlenecks accessing the ground and were repelled by teargas fired by local police.

After the game, supporters were preyed on by gangs as they made their way to public transport connections, with many reporting pickpocketing, muggings and threats as the police looked on.

"There's always more to learn from experiences of other events," Gilpin told AFP.

"There's been a significant amount of dialogue between the organising committee, the authorities in Paris and the government more broadly.

"We're confident that lessons can be learnt from that and we're also confident that we have a great security plan, spectator experience plan for the Stade de France."

Last week, Gilpin's counterpart at the organising committee, Claude Atcher, was suspended by French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera as a preliminary investigation into his management style found evidence of a deep social malaise within the organisation.

"First of all the allegations around the treatment of staff in Paris, we've taken them seriously," Gilpin said.

"We've discussed those with the relevant ministries and with the board of the organising committee."

"It's business as usual for us," he added.

On Wednesday, World Rugby vice-president and French Rugby Federation chief Bernard Laporte went on trial facing charges of favouritism and corruption.

The 58-year-old former France coach is accused of favouritism in awarding a shirt