SA Rugby gets consolation
CAPE TOWN. — South African Rugby is set for a R330m windfall from the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
When France was surprisingly awarded hosting rights - despite World Rugby recommending South Africa hold the tournament - it was revealed they had promised the highest financial return of £350m (R6 billion) to the sport’s governing body.
The Telegraph website reported that the breakdown of projected returns to the individual unions “showed why the French bid proved so attractive”.
The 10 tier-one countries (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy) are expected to share a record £192.5m (R3.3 billion) payout from World Rugby because of the decision to stage the 2023 tournament in France.
That means a bonus of around R330m to SA Rugby.
“That sounds like a lot of money for the tier-one market but they generate 95 percent of the revenues in a World Cup,” Brett Gosper, World Rugby chief executive, said.
The remainder of the money will be invested into tier two and tier three countries and to develop the game in untapped markets such as Germany, Brazil, China, India and the USA. LONDON . — After fashioning the sensation of the English football season with a League Cup triumph over Manchester United, Bristol City manager Lee Johnson knows there could only be one way to top a win over Jose Mourinho -- and that is by beating Pep Guardiola.
The cheering was still reverberating at the Ashton Gate home of the second tier Championship club on Wednesday night after their last-gasp 2-1 quarter-final win over the English Premier League giants when the semi-final draw offered them an even giddier follow-up.
For the Robins’ reward on one of the finest nights in their 123-year history was to set up the prospect of another when Guardiola’s Manchester City, Europe’s team of the moment, visit them in a last four, second leg tie in January.
Johnson was asked how it felt to be presented with the hardest task in English football against a side unbeaten in domestic matches this term. “It’s brilliant,” he enthused. “We move on now. We didn’t show United too much respect. Now it’s on to Manchester City over two legs and there’s another chance for the players to test themselves against another elite group,” he said. “City are a beast of an organisation.”
The beasts who have been devouring all Premier League opposition this season, though, may find Ashton Gate as tricky and oppressive a venue as Mourinho’s men, who became the Robins’ fourth Premier League victims of their inspired Cup run.
In the controversial voting system, Ireland were eliminated from the World Cup hosting process in the first round, getting just eight votes while France received 18 and South Africa 13.
France won the decisive second round from South Africa with the votes going 24-15 in their favour.
Meanwhile, former Springbok prop Rob Kempson says it’s time for Allister Coetzee to “move on” as national coach.
Coetzee is fighting to keep his job after two tumultuous seasons in charge of the national team.
During his tenure the Boks won only 11 of 25 Tests for a meagre 44% win-record.
Kempson, who played 37 Tests for the Springboks between 1998 and 2003, told Reuters that it was time for SA Rugby to look at hiring an overseas coach.
“There is not a shadow of doubt they (SA Rugby) should be looking at other options. It’s unfortunate for Allister, but it’s time for him to move on,” Kempson said.
“I think they should go for someone from outside, (New Zealanders) Robbie Deans and John Mitchell are two that come to mind. Why wouldn’t they go for people who have proven expertise of putting teams into position where they can win Test matches? — AFP.
The key will be managing to stay in the tie in a testing first leg at Man City’s Etihad Stadium early in the New Year.
If they can keep any away-day deficit down to manageable proportions, Johnson’s young, eager outfit could cause a few problems in the return at their tight Bristol fortress.
The exultant scenes that greeted Korey Smith’s 93rd minute winner would, reckoned Johnson, “live in the memory of this football club for many years.”
His father Gary was one of City’s more successful managers when Lee was a player at the club. “But I think tonight was the greatest moment in both of our tenures,” reckoned Johnson, whose team are pushing for promotion in third place.
“My dad always says he was the most successful Bristol City manager so maybe I’ve pushed him a little bit close with that result.
“The players have been phenomenal. It’s a young group with real quality and energy and every single one of them will go down in the folklore of Bristol City football club.”
None more so than Joe Bryan, a popular Bristolian and product of the club’s academy, whose wonderful second-half strike had put City ahead before Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s equalising free kick looked likely to inspire a United comeback win.
Still, City kept believing and were rewarded by Smith’s superbly taken left-foot winner on the turn in the final seconds.
Mourinho, while praising City for playing “the game of their lives”, could not quite bring himself to offer unqualified admiration as he kept suggesting the home side were “lucky” to survive with Ibrahimovic and Marcus Rashford hitting the woodwork.
Yet he understood this was City’s night, “a beautiful night for football”, even if he did not have time to hang around and share the special £450 bottle of fine Portuguese wine that Johnson had bought to entertain him.
“Jose was very humble afterwards but he shot off so he couldn’t stay and have some wine,” smiled Johnson. “But I got to ask the questions I wanted.”
And, anyway, who needed wine when this was clearly a night for champagne?”
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte praised his players’ determination after the side earned a hardfought 2-1 win over Bournemouth in their League Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday.
A much-changed Chelsea side took the early lead through Willian but Bournemouth midfielder Dan Gosling levelled the score at 1-1 in the 90th minute.
The hosts got the winner through an Alvaro Morata goal less than a minute later and Conte was thrilled to see Chelsea progress to the semi-finals, where they will meet London rivals Arsenal.
“The most important thing is we’re in the semi-finals,” Conte said after the match. “To reach the semi-final in one of the two cups in England is great for us, especially with a lot (of squad) rotation. — Reuters.