"In terms of the demographics we have a significant ratio of rugby players in the region," said Jean Lacampagne the committee President.
"The most important thing, though, is that we are playing host to a tournament of an extremely high level, set to produce truly memorable running rugby.
And the enthusiasm for the tournament is shared by those in the tourism industry: "This tournament is set to breathe life into the Auvergne region and prove that we can host global events," said local hotelier and restaurateur Philippe Arnald. "Traditionally June is very big for us and this championship will boost that even more, which is important for the local economy."
In rugby terms, though, the legacy the tournament can leave is immense. In Argentina in 2005, 30,000 new club player applications were received in the wake of the tournament and the same could be the case in France.
"I expect an increase but can't yet put a number on it," said Lacampagne. "Maybe a rise of 10%, certainly we'll benefit from the increased rugby activity and exposure in the schools. For example, we've invited 9,000 school children to the games."
Riom, with 200 licensed players, is one of the host clubs and this year celebrates its centenary. "Of course we hope to attract more players in September," said one of the runners of the club Pascal Fernandes, "but we hope to go further than that and get rugby properly into the schools here."