Hosting the World Cup is vital for coffers of SA Rugby

SOUTH Africa’s last chance of hosting the Rugby World Cup may be in 2023.

That stark warning came from SA Rugby president Mark Alexander, who believes expensive infrastructure upgrades are unlikely to be a priority for the country beyond that tournament. The infrastructure put in place for the 2010 World Cup is starting to take strain and politicians' appetite to splurge on major sporting events is already on the wane.

“From a country point of view it is important to host it to maximise the investment we made in stadia,” said Alexander. “If it goes beyond 2023 there will be a large maintenance programme we have to do and the upgrading of those stadiums, which will make it a bit difficult for us to host the World Cup again.”

SA Rugby is also in a race against time to ease the financial pressure it is under. Hosting the tournament is an economic imperative for the cashstrapped organisation. SA Rugby recorded a R23.3-million loss in tough economic conditions last year and while they are trying to reinvent themselves by attracting investors and sponsors, they have a way to go.

It is against that boom-or-bust backdrop that they are hoping to secure hosting rights ahead of France and Ireland.

“We don’t want to sketch a doomsday scenario,” said Alexander, who is sanguine about the country’s