Well, folks, it looks like the Rugby World Cup won't be making a sentimental journey back to South Africa anytime soon. Rian Oberholzer, the big boss at SA Rugby, has pretty much thrown in the towel on the dream of hosting the grand event again. While the Springboks have scoped up the title four times and the nation has a nostalgic notch on its belt from 1995, it seems cold, hard cash trumps nostalgia in the race for hosting rights.
Oberholzer spilled the beans and essentially said that World Rugby is chasing the money trail, with their eyes set on new and lucrative markets. The 2027 shindig will go down in Australia, and the Americans are gearing up for a rugby fiesta in 2031. Meanwhile, the hotly contested bid for 2035 is seeing Spain, Italy, Japan, and a trio from the Middle East (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) throwing their hats in the ring. A decision is due in 2027, but don't hold your breath for a South African miracle.
"It’s correct to say that it is a challenge for us going forward,"
admitted Oberholzer. The man makes it clear: the World Cup is World Rugby's golden goose, needing to lay golden eggs to feed the entire rugby family. So, they're off to where the money piles are bigger and the governmental support is stronger.
Oberholzer didn't mince his words about the financial disparities either.
"If you compare us to Europe, for example, I cannot see that the money will ever be the same generated out of South Africa than what it will generate out of Europe or in future maybe somewhere in the Middle East."
It's not just a South African problem, though. New Zealand is in the same leaky financial boat, unable to match the lucrative offers from wealthier regions.
Oberholzer believes that the old rotation system, where hosting was more about taking turns than turning profits, is out. "I think we have moved away from that philosophy," he said, underscoring that it's not about snubbing rugby-loving nations but rather catering to the fiscal fitness of the sport globally.
So, as much as it stings for the rugby purists, it seems the future of World Cup locations will lean heavily on economic muscle rather than historical sentiment. For countries like South Africa and New Zealand, it might be a tough pill to swallow, but in the high-stakes game of global sports hosting, cash is still king.
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Well, folks, it looks like the Rugby World Cup won't be making a sentimental journey back to South Africa anytime soon. Rian Oberholzer, the big boss at SA Rugby, has pretty much thrown in the towel on the dream of hosting the grand event again. While the Springboks have scoped up the title four times and the nation has a nostalgic notch on its belt from 1995, it seems cold, hard cash trumps nostalgia in the race for hosting rights.
Oberholzer spilled the beans and essentially said that World Rugby is chasing the money trail, with their eyes set on new and lucrative markets. The 2027 shindig will go down in Australia, and the Americans are gearing up for a rugby fiesta in 2031. Meanwhile, the hotly contested bid for 2035 is seeing Spain, Italy, Japan, and a trio from the Middle East (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) throwing their hats in the ring. A decision is due in 2027, but don't hold your breath for a South African miracle.
"It’s correct to say that it is a challenge for us going forward,"
admitted Oberholzer. The man makes it clear: the World Cup is World Rugby's golden goose, needing to lay golden eggs to feed the entire rugby family. So, they're off to where the money piles are bigger and the governmental support is stronger.Oberholzer didn't mince his words about the financial disparities either.
"If you compare us to Europe, for example, I cannot see that the money will ever be the same generated out of South Africa than what it will generate out of Europe or in future maybe somewhere in the Middle East."
It's not just a South African problem, though. New Zealand is in the same leaky financial boat, unable to match the lucrative offers from wealthier regions.Oberholzer believes that the old rotation system, where hosting was more about taking turns than turning profits, is out. "I think we have moved away from that philosophy," he said, underscoring that it's not about snubbing rugby-loving nations but rather catering to the fiscal fitness of the sport globally.
So, as much as it stings for the rugby purists, it seems the future of World Cup locations will lean heavily on economic muscle rather than historical sentiment. For countries like South Africa and New Zealand, it might be a tough pill to swallow, but in the high-stakes game of global sports hosting, cash is still king.