D-Day for Rugby World Cup hosts

DUBLIN – Rugby will be faced with the stark choice today when the vote as to who holds the 2011 World Cup is made.

Does it try and breach new boundaries in choosing Japan or does it stay with the establishment as it has done since the inaugural tournament in 1987 and elect either South Africa or New Zealand as host nation. Both South Africa and New Zealand have already hosted and indeed won the World Cup on home soil but victory for Japan would bring to a climax a bandwagon that started rolling during the 2003 finals in Australia.On the back of respectable showings against their pool rivals France, Fiji and Scotland, IRB executives even slated a possibility that Japan could have a team in what was then the Super 12 tournament – much to the disgust of the Pacific Islands – but while that has not happened winning the vote here would be on a different level.Koji Tokomasu, chief executive of the Japanese Rugby Union, said that the potential for opening up a vast new market for the sport was enormous, should his bid prevail.”Asia provides 60 per cent of the world’s population.The growth of the region’s economy means that in six years’ time the Asian economy will be vastly different,” he told AFP.”It will open up the Asian market and to Japanese corporations which could only benefit world rugby.It is good timing,” commented Tokomasu, who will be accompanied in the presentation group by among others JRU president Yoshiro Mori, a former Japanese prime minister.By contrast Tokomasu also highlighted what could be the cost to the sport should they lose out.”The 2015 World Cup is 10 years from now and if we do not get it for 2011 then it will waste a golden opportunity for developing the Asian market,” he told AFP.”For generations to come the unions may think ‘oh we should have done that’ (voted for Japan).”It will not be encouraging for second-tier unions to bid for the hosting of the tournament as it is very hard to meet the financial requirements and will just lead to it going back to the traditional unions.”Countries like England, France, Australia and New Zealand can even combine to host it but it is very difficult for unions like Japan.We are looking to the future,” added Tokomasu, who would not have been the only person surprised by an IRB report which was leaked and raised doubts about Japan’s ability to host a major tournament without having done so before.Fifa and the IOC would also have raised their eyebrows as Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup, the 1964 Summer Olympics and the Nagano Winter Olympics.While Tokomasu said he had not received one definite commitment of a vote it is widely believed that Australia are going to give their two votes not to their neighbours New Zealand but to the Japanese while England are also thought to be veering towards them.”I do,” was NZRU chief executive Chris Moller’s brusque answer when asked whether he thought Australia would vote for them but he may well be disappointed.Indeed as things stand, it could well go down to a head-to-head between Japan and South Africa.New Zealand have denied they left their lobbying until too late and hope their Prime Minister Helen Clark has as similar effect as Tony Blair did for London’s Olympic bid when they defied the odds and edged out firm favourites Paris for the 2012 summer games.However whether a woman described rather unkindly as ‘having the charisma of a pilchard’ can have such an effect when she is part of the presentation quintet on Thursday is another question.Thus to South Africa and under the smooth front man skills of Francois Pienaar – who has shown as deft and diplomatic a touch as he did when captaining the Springboks to the 1995 World Cup – they have run a brilliant campaign.Perhaps, though, noting the strength of Japan’s appeal in its opening up a new market so Pienaar has also put a similar slant on his manifesto.”Should we win it would help spread the sport throughout Africa,” he told AFP.”There is enormous potential and that has been seen in sevens where African countries can compete with the best.”The bleak difference, though, between expanding the sport in Africa and Asia is money.On the other side is a certainty that unlike in Japan the tournament is guaranteed full stadiums no matter what the match and European friendly broadcasting times, even though Tokomasu has organised the kick-offs for European countries to be at 1200 English time.All three parties agree that it is too close to call but perhaps Tokomasu summed it up best.”The feeling is like going to a game without knowing too much about the opposition but playing till the final whistle.”At 17h30 GMT today, the sport will know whether it has entered a brave new era or has opted to play safe.- Nampa-AFPBoth South Africa and New Zealand have already hosted and indeed won the World Cup on home soil but victory for Japan would bring to a climax a bandwagon that started rolling during the 2003 finals in Australia.On the back of respectable showings against their pool rivals France, Fiji and Scotland, IRB executives even slated a possibility that Japan could have a team in what was then the Super 12 tournament – much to the disgust of the Pacific Islands – but while that has not happened winning the vote here would be on a different level.Koji Tokomasu, chief executive of the Japanese Rugby Union, said that the potential for opening up a vast new market for the sport was enormous, should his bid prevail.”Asia provides 60 per cent of the world’s population.The growth of the region’s economy means that in six years’ time the Asian economy will be vastly different,” he told AFP.”It will open up the Asian market and to Japanese corporations which could only benefit world rugby.It is good timing,” commented Tokomasu, who will be accompanied in the presentation group by among others JRU president Yoshiro Mori, a former Japanese prime minister.By contrast Tokomasu also highlighted what could be the cost to the sport should they lose out.”The 2015 World Cup is 10 years from now and if we do not get it for 2011 then it will waste a golden opportunity for developing the Asian market,” he told AFP.”For generations to come the unions may think ‘oh we should have done that’ (voted for Japan).”It will not be encouraging for second-tier unions to bid for the hosting of the tournament as it is very hard to meet the financial requirements and will just lead to it going back to the traditional unions.”Countries like England, France, Australia and New Zealand can even combine to host it but it is very difficult for unions like Japan.We are looking to the future,” added Tokomasu, who would not have been the only person surprised by an IRB report which was leaked and raised doubts about Japan’s ability to host a major tournament without having done so before.Fifa and the IOC would also have raised their eyebrows as Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup, the 1964 Summer Olympics and the Nagano Winter Olympics.While Tokomasu said he had not received one definite commitment of a vote it is widely believed that Australia are going to give their two votes not to their neighbours New Zealand but to the Japanese while England are also thought to be veering towards them.”I do,” was NZRU chief executive Chris Moller’s brusque answer when asked whether he thought Australia would vote for them but he may well be disappointed.Indeed as things stand, it could well go down to a head-to-head between Japan and South Africa.New Zealand have denied they left their lobbying until too late and hope their Prime Minister Helen Clark has as similar effect as Tony Blair did for London’s Olympic bid when they defied the odds and edged out firm favourites Paris for the 2012 summer games.However whether a woman described rather unkindly as ‘having the charisma of a pilchard’ can have such an effect when she is part of the presentation quintet on Thursday is another question.Thus to South Africa and under the smooth front man skills of Francois Pienaar – who has shown as deft and diplomatic a touch as he did when captaining the Springboks to the 1995 World Cup – they have run a brilliant campaign.Perhaps, though, noting the strength of Japan’s appeal in its opening up a new market so Pienaar has also put a similar slant on his manifesto.”Should we win it would help spread the sport throughout Africa,” he told AFP.”There is enormous potential and that has been seen in sevens where African countries can compete with the best.”The bleak difference, though, between expanding the sport in Africa and Asia is money.On the other side is a certainty that unlike in Japan the tournament is guaranteed full stadiums no matter what the match and European friendly broadcasting times, even though Tokomasu has organised the kick-offs for European countries to be at 1200 English time.All three parties agree that it is too close to call but perhaps Tokomasu summed it up best.”The feeling is like going to a game without knowing too much about the opposition but playing till the final whistle.”At 17h30 GMT today, the sport will know whether it has entered a brave new era or has opted to play safe.- Nampa-AFP

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