RWC bid ‘waste of time, money’

SA RUGBY president Mark Alexander has questioned whether the bid process to determine the host nation for Rugby World cups is a “waste of time and money” after France yesterday sneaked in the back door to snatch hosting rights to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

South Africa had been set for another dose of the good feeling of the 1995 event, after winning the bid process conducted by the Rugby World Cup committee only to lose out when delegates yesterday voted in secret on the RWC’s findings.

It was a bitter blow for South Africa and SA Rugby boss Alexander did not try to hide his feelings. “We produced a compelling bid document that earned the unanimous recommendation of the Rugby World Cup Ltd board,” Alexander said from London.

“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,” Alexander said through gritted teeth, before adding: “You wonder what 15 months of evaluation of the three bids at considerable expense was all about? You wonder if it is a waste of money.”

SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said that his organisation would not challenge the decision but at a later stage would question the identification process.

“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,” Roux said.

“We have always said that we would honour both the letter and the spirit of the process but in the (later) feedback sessions I am sure we will be recommending to the World Rugby Council that the verdict of the evaluation committee become binding.”

Closer to home, 1995 World Cup hero Chester Williams said he was saddened for the people of South Africa. “We have to ask what happened when it came to the secret ballot? Why did the delegates go against us when we have so much to offer?” See Leader Page 8 and for more reports see Sports pages