Bill Beaumont denies World Cup humiliation after South Africa miss out
Wednesday 15 November 2017 15:16, UK
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont denied being humiliated after the council voted against its recommended hosts of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
South Africa were named as the preferred host nation by World Rugby's independent review two weeks ago, but France won the right to host the tournament following a ballot in London on Wednesday.
A simple majority from the 39 votes was required and France claimed 18 votes to South Africa's 13 in the first round of voting. Ireland had eight votes and were eliminated.
The second round saw France claim 24 votes to South Africa's 15 to be named hosts for a second time, after 2007.
Beaumont had emphasised the "transparent selection process" before announcing the host when World Rugby's member nations went against the recommendation.
Beaumont said he would follow the recommendation, but insisted the move was not embarrassing for the sport's world governing body.
"A humiliation for me? I don't think so. I don't think that at all," Beaumont told a media conference.
"There's always got to be one recommendation in the evaluation process and that was South Africa.
"Just because it went to France doesn't mean there's humiliation whatsoever.
"If you look, there wasn't a great deal between France and South Africa in the evaluation report. It was very close.
"We feel the process has been absolutely transparent. Everyone's been able to see how the scoring was."
South Africa Rugby expressed disappointment over the decision and said the process became "opaque" following the independent report.
A statement on SA Rugby's official Twitter account read: "SA Rugby said it was 'bitterly disappointed' at the decision by the World Rugby Council to overturn a recommendation that South Africa should host the 2023 Rugby World Cup and instead voted for France to host the tournament in a secret ballot."
SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux added: "World Rugby ran exhaustive, transparent process for 15 months to identify best host nation, only for the process to go entirely opaque for past two weeks. The view of the experts and World Rugby's leadership was overturned by World Rugby council members."
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said: "We did everything in our power to bring the tournament to South Africa.
"We are bitterly disappointed at this decision and would like to apologise to the people and government of South Africa for raising their hopes."
Irish Rugby Football Union chief executive Philip Browne was magnanimous in defeat.
"It's not to be, our race is now run and today belongs to France. They have our warmest congratulations," he said.
