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World Cup 2023: Last-ditch problems with two bids

The South African bid to host the 2023 World Cup was submitted two days before the deadline

Irish and French bids hit stumbling blocks shortly before the deadline for submissions.

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Two of the three bids to host the 2023 World Cup hit trouble shortly before the June 1 deadline.

All three bids were submitted to the World Rugby offices in Dublin on time, but the Irish and French bids hit stumbling blocks in the hours leading up to the cut-off time.

The bid has long been regarded as a done deal in Ireland. The country is regarded as the favourite to host the tournament four years after Japan – and the paperwork was delivered by mass parade in Dublin.

But 24 hours before the deadline, sports minister Shane Ross warned the Irish parliament’s committee for Transport, Sport and Tourism that emergency legislation was needed to support the bid.

He said that the Irish government faced “extreme time pressure” to ensure guarantees sought by the organising body can be delivered.

A hastily-assembled bill, approved in cabinet last week, now has to pass through Ireland’s parliament, the Oireachtas, by the summer recess – a matter of weeks away. The urgency means the bill will be debated by TDs without first going through the usual committee stage.

Many are wondering why. In his letter to the committee, Mr Ross said draft guarantees required by Rugby World Cup Limited, the company behind the tournament, were received on April 7. The attorney general advised that primary legislation was necessary on May 4. And yet the issue only came to light the day before the deadline.

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Support for the bid is strong in Ireland, so it seems unlikely that this final hurdle will not be overcome.

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Meanwhile, France’s 810-page dossier – the result of four-and-a-half months work by the FFR – champions the nine host cities, the existing and proven big-match stadia which have the capacity to welcome 2.6million fans during the tournament, and the amount of revenue the competition would generate if it was held in l’hexagone.

The bid arrived in Dublin under the protection of Sebastian Chabal.

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But, although the bid outlines an obvious intention to use the Stade de France for seven matches – including the opening match and the final – and has a letter of commitment from bosses at the national stadium to host the matches, it still does not have official approval from the government to use the State-owned venue.

This is despite the fact the country’s new president, Emmanuel Macron, joined the welcoming committee when World Rugby officials were wined and dined during a fact-finding visit shortly after his election in May.

The director of France’s bid insists the missing official approval is not an issue. He said the convention between the government and the stadium outlined an obligation to stage international events, and that the necessary documents will be in the bid dossier by July 31.

France’s bid is 17 pages shorter than South Africa’s which was submitted two days before the deadline. Like France, it is going with its track record of hosting major events, and the value for money it offers, with its stadia and infrastructure already in place. Its bid suggests its costs will be 50 percent lower than either Ireland or France.

While there were no last-gasp concerns over the SARU bid, it was still sweating over government support less than a month before the deadline. The country’s sports minister Thulas Nxesi only lifted a ban on the union – along with the country’s cricket and netball authorities – bidding to host major events on May 8.

South Africa has struggled to meet the requirements of won bids for international sporting events. In March, Durban was stripped of its 2022 Commonwealth Games rights after failing to meet costs and building benchmarks.

The three candidate nations will continue lobbying for support until the day of the vote in Dublin, on November 15. The next key date in the process is September 25, when all three will have a chance to state their case in oral presentations. World Rugby will then deliver letters of recommendation outlining the pros and cons of the bids on October 16.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 3 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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