By SPORTS REPORTER
JOHANNESBURG  -SOUTH Africa will deliver a “Triple Win” Rugby World Cup in 2023, SA Rugby Chief Executive Officer, Jurie Roux, said on Tuesday after World Rugby Council announced the country was the preferred candidate.
South Africa was named in preference to fellow bidders France and Ireland as the candidate best able to fulfil the agreed criteria laid out by World Rugby to deliver a successful and profitable tournament.
“We told the World Rugby Council that we would deliver a triple win tournament when we presented to them last month – a win for the game with record receipts; a win for the fans with an unforgettable tournament in a bucket-list destination and, most importantly, a win for the players with the most athlete-centric event in the tournament’s history,” said Roux.
The recommendation will now be put to the vote of the World Rugby Council in London on 15 November.
All three candidates will appear on the ballot paper but World Rugby has stressed to its members that recommendation of the Evaluation Committee should be taken into consideration.
There are 39 votes at stake with a simple majority required to determine the eventual host nation. The candidate nations do not have a vote.
South Africa’s 827-page, 8.2kg bid book included a commitment from the South African government to exceed the minimum guarantee of £120 million required by World Rugby with an additional guarantee of £40 million.
SA Rugby forecast another £60 million in profit for World Rugby from hospitality sales and savings on event costs because of the exchange rate.
South Africa hosted, and won, the tournament in 1995.
– Guardian