R2.7bn for SA Rugby Cup bid

South African Rugby received a R2.7 billion government guarantee on Thursday as its bid to host the 2023 World Cup intensified.

The sum was required by the organisers, World Rugby, as part of the build-up to a November 15 vote in Dublin to choose the 2023 hosts with France and Ireland, the other candidates.

“We believe our bid is technically the strongest of the three,” said SA Rugby president Mark Alexander after Cabinet approved the guarantee.

“South Africa has world-class match venues and training facilities, a great tourism infrastructure and a wonderful climate.”

SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said: “We could not take this journey alone and are delighted to join hands with government in a shared vision of hosting the 2023 World Cup.

“A successful bid will be a winwin for sport development, for the economy and for the nation as a whole.”

Cabinet approval of the guarantee marked a further warming of relations with SA Rugby after a “cold war” over racial transformation in the sport.

Failure to meet 2016 racial diversity targets led the government to ban SA Rugby from bidding to host international events.

The ban was lifted this year as black players took an increasingly prominent role in a sport once dominated by whites.

An agreement between the government and SA Rugby says half the 2019 South Africa World Cup team in Japan must be black.

South Africa hosted the 1995 World Cup, and won a final against arch foes New Zealand, made famous by the presence of then president Nelson Mandela in a replica Springbok shirt.

We believe our bid is technically the strongest of the three. Mark Alexander SA Rugby president