JOHANNESBURG — Maybe we should have seen the signs, the lack of confidence by SA Rugby despite being chosen as the preferred candidate to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Even after that initial announcement was made by World Rugby, the SA Rugby team preferred to downplay the importance of clearing that hurdle. There were no celebrations, but guarded warnings that the country needed to wait for the vote on 15 November. Even off the record, SA Rugby would not commit to any sense of optimism. There were references to not counting chickens. We should have read the signs of cautious pessimism. Did SA Rugby have a sense this would all go wrong when the member nations voted in secret? As it turned out, South Africa was never the favoured host nation, finishing behind France in the first round of voting (France 18 votes, SA 13, Ireland 8), and losing out to France in the final vote by 24 votes to 15. So France, 10 years after they last hosted the Rugby World Cup, play host again. South Africa, 22 years after they last hosted the Rugby World Cup, lose out. – David O’Sullivan
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From SA Rugby
SA Rugby said it was “bitterly disappointed” at the decision by the World Rugby Council to overturn a recommendation that South Africa should host the 2023 Rugby World Cup and instead voted for France to host the tournament in a secret ballot. “We are bitterly disappointed at this decision and would like to apologise to the people and government of South Africa for raising their hopes,” said Mr Mark Alexander, president of SA Rugby.
“We did everything in our power to bring the tournament to South Africa and we expected to have that right confirmed today.
“We produced a compelling bid document that earned the unanimous recommendation of the Rugby World Cup Ltd board. That recommendation was questioned last week by rivals, but endorsed a second time by World Rugby last week. “However, the view of the experts and World Rugby’s leadership was overturned by World Rugby Council members, who may have had other factors to take into account.
“We cannot hide our desolation but, for the sake of rugby we wish the 2023 tournament hosts every success.”
Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, ruled out any suggestions that his organisation might challenge the vote.
“We have said throughout that we would honour both the letter and the spirit of the process and we now consider the 2023 bidding process closed.
“However, in the feedback sessions I am sure we will be recommending to the World Rugby Council that the verdict of the evaluation committee become binding.
“World Rugby ran an exhaustive and transparent process for 15 months to identify the best host nation, only for the process to go entirely opaque for the past two weeks.”
France: Euro 2016, RWC 2023, Olympics 2024. Seems Ireland stuck in tournament equivalent of “need experience to get a job, need a job to get experience” trap #RWC2023
— Noel Rock (@NoelRock) November 15, 2017
Mr Alexander said that after a fourth successive disappointment in the Rugby World Cup bidding process it was difficult to know where South Africa would go from here.
“It will be for the next generation of SA Rugby leaders to decide whether to compete for the 2027 tournament or beyond,” he said. “I am sure our country will fulfil the dream of hosting the tournament once again someday; our hearts bleed that it will not be in 2023.”
Source: http://www.sarugby.co.za/
