The "increasingly bitter process" of appointing a host country for the 2023 Rugby World Cup is "causing so much ill feeling and even downright abuse behind the scenes that it threatens to tear apart World Rugby" at the "very stage when WR felt that at last," it had made the process of choosing "fair and transparent," according to Stephen Jones of the SUNDAY TIMES. After an "exhaustive investigation" of the bids of South Africa, France and Ireland, backed by independent reviews, South Africa finished ahead of France with Ireland a distant third, "with question marks raised over their stadiums and security issues." On Wednesday, the WR Council will vote on the host, and everyone is "expecting the delegates to confirm the recommendation, therefore validating the process." However, the "almost violent reaction of France and especially Ireland has caused anger behind the scenes," and the "latest shock is that, under pressure from the Irish government," the U.K. government "has contacted at least two of the three home nations who have votes to discuss their likely intentions." The Rugby Football Union's "intentions remain shrouded in mystery but there could be a looming crisis in England." WR Chair Bill Beaumont, the former chair of the RFU, is said to be "disturbed and disappointed" by the reactions of France and Ireland (SUNDAY TIMES, 11/12).
SOUTH AFRICA RESPONDS: REUTERS' Nick Said reported South Africa Sports Minister Thulas Nxesi "strongly defended his country's bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup following criticism of the evaluation process by its rivals." The '95 host "emerged as the clear winner," but the results were disputed by French Rugby Federation President Bernard Laporte and Irish Rugby Football Union CEO Philip Browne. Nxesi said, "It would be understandable if those sentiments were largely informed by disappointment. It is our firm conviction that World Rugby has run a rigorous and professional process of unimpeachable integrity." Nxesi added that the criticism of the country's ability as host was "not unlike" the skepticism ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, "which proved a success both commercially and for the country's image" (REUTERS, 11/10).
