Rugby World Cup Comes To Nz..

[chuchok]

18/11/2005

Rugby fans across the country are waking up to the best possible news this morning.

New Zealand has defied the pundits by winning the right to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The announcement was greeted by hoops of delight from the New Zealand supporters in Dublin.

IRB chairman Syd Millar told the crowded room at the Radisson hotel, just south of Dublin, he wanted to congratulate New Zealand, which he described as "a great rugby nation"

NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs led the Kiwi delegation in Dublin and he was clearly overcome by the decision.

Among many others he thanked the country for its support. He said it was a very proud moment for New Zealand, and a proud day to be a kiwi. Hobbs says the responsibility is huge but one which New Zealand will meet.

He immediately paid his respects to the other contesting delegates, Japan and South Africa. He says he knows how acutely disappointed they will be feeling after such a tough bidding fight.

Former British and Irish Lion Peter Wheeler was behind the Japanese bid and has expressed his disappointment. He says the rugby world has missed an opportunity to reach 60 percent of the World's population in Asia, though he admits New Zealand will put on a great tournament.

Former Springbok Joel Stransky says a lot of people thought the fact that South Africa was already hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup would be an advantage for them, but he disagrees. He says there will be people who think it would have been greedy for South Africa to reap the benefits of two major tournaments two years in a row.

South Africa World Cup bid head Francois Pienaar is philosophical after missing out. He says they gave it their best shot and that was all they could do.

[Thomas_Merton]

18/11/2005

Rugby fans across the country are waking up to the best possible news this morning.

New Zealand has defied the pundits by winning the right to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

     

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I foresee a mass exodus of Kiwis from LOS.

Lucky bastards.

[lampard10]

Jeez...........................with the Welsh there as well the sheep have really got to have their wits about them.

[chuchok]

Jeez...........................with the Welsh there as well the sheep have really got to have their wits about them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ha ha bloody ha

[chuchok]

The RWC is the 3rd biggest event in the World...behind the Soccer WC and the Olympics. The spin offs for a small country like NZ are huge.

Also like to thank our Australian "friends" for voting against us in the final ballot.Over the years NZ has bent over backwards to help Aussie rugby, esp in the 70's and 80's.Nice to see the ald ANZAC spirit comming through.Bunch of fcuken &lt;deleted&gt;.You should always look after your mates first...regardless!

Australia voted against NZ's World Cup bid

18.11.05 1.00pm

SYDNEY - Trans-Tasman rugby friendship was put to one side today when Australia voted for Japan to host the 2011 World Cup.

New Zealand won the vote to host the tournament, beating Japan in the second ballot after South Africa was eliminated in the first ballot at an International Rugby Board (IRB) council meeting in Dublin, Ireland.

Rugby relations between the trans-Tasman neighbours have been uneasy since New Zealand lost co-hosting rights with Australia for the 2003 World Cup due to a contractual dispute.

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU), which had two votes out of 19 in the first round today, supported Japan in both phases of voting.

ARU chief executive Gary Flowers said his union supported the Japanese bid with a view to seeing the game grow internationally.

"I've got no doubt New Zealand will put on a first-rate World Cup," he told Australian Associated Press in Dublin.

"It will mean a lot to their country, but the foremost thinking in our mind was the global growth of the game.

"I think in the short-term, obviously an opportunity's been missed but the fact Japan polled so strongly, it's given them a good impetus in the future."

However, Flowers admitted the vote meant the world-ranked No 1 All Blacks would be even tougher to beat in 2011.

But he said the fact Japan boasted the second-largest economy in the world, was the fifth-largest country in rugby player numbers and Asia represented 60 per cent of the planet's population, were reasons enough to get behind the bid.

"That was very much in our thinking in terms that the World Cup is the jewel in the crown of rugby and it was a good opportunity to grow our game," he said.

"It may be a missed opportunity but that's the way the votes fell."

In the lead up to selection for the 2003 World Cup, Australia was quick to launch a single host bid after New Zealand said it could not comply with the IRB's corporate advertising rules.

A later report into the debacle by Sir Thomas Eichelbaum found that one of the reasons New Zealand lost its co-hosting rights was because of the New Zealand Rugby Union's poor relationships with Australia and the IRB.

- NZPA

[cdnvic]

Looks like I've got more reasons to come back than the fishing.

I take it the bunch who stuffed up the co-hosting with Oz were safely locked up this time?

cv

[chuchok]

Looks like I've got more reasons to come back than the fishing.

I take it the bunch who stuffed up the co-hosting with Oz were safely locked up this time?

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No CV,it was a couple of the same guys plus some expert imput (On of the main guys that was behind the Sydney olympics etc).I guess they Learnt from their mistakes in the past.They also used a few heavy hitters from NZ (Colin Meads,Sir Brian lahore and Sir Wilson Wineray) who played against most of the guys on the IRB.

Aussie still takes it up the arse though.

[COBBER]

The RWC is the 3rd biggest event in the World...behind the Soccer WC and the Olympics. The spin offs for a small country like NZ are huge.

You keep telling us how great New Zealand is and that they are the best in the world at everything so i wouldnt have thought you need the economic gain from this.

Perhaps the biggest spin off might be that you might win the World Cup,considering that your only previous win was the last time you hosted despite going into every other World Cup with more tallent than any other country..

Also like to thank our Australian "friends" for voting against us in the final ballot.Over the years NZ has bent over backwards to help Aussie rugby, esp in the 70's and 80's.Nice to see the ald ANZAC spirit comming through.Bunch of fcuken &lt;deleted&gt;.You should always look after your mates first...regardless!

Steady on mate. With language like that your starting to sound like the pommy cricket experts on this forum. Perhaps the term South Pacific Pom comes to mind.

[Pink Mist]

well chucky we do look after our mates, the japs have been close for 50 odd years

[chuchok]

Steady on mate. With language like that your starting to sound like the pommy cricket experts on this forum. Perhaps the term South Pacific Pom comes to mind.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Aussie Rugby Union are a bunch of tools Cob.I stand by what I said. I could handle the Aussies putting one over on us at the last RWC...we deserved it, as the NZ management were a bunch of nonces.This time there is no excuse.

I know that this only makes me fel better, but I have sent a beautifull worded e-mail to the ARU....plus I have given them my full name and address if they want to take it further.

Australia voted for losing Japanese World Cup bid

SYDNEY (AFP) - The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) Friday congratulated New Zealand on winning the right to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup but said it had supported Japan's rival bid.

In Dublin on Thursday, the International Rugby Board (IRB) named New Zealand as 2011 hosts ahead of Japan and South Africa, with runners-up Japan saying it was a case of the rugby old boys network voting for one of their own.

But apparently, Australia was not part of the 'old boys network' and supported the Japanese bid in a move seen as antagonising rugby relations with their trans-Tasman neighbours.

ARU Managing Director Gary Flowers said world rugby missed an opportunity by not taking the tournament to Asia.

"I've got no doubt New Zealand will put on a first-rate World Cup," Flowers said in a statement.

"It will mean a lot to their country, but foremost thinking in our mind was the global growth of the game.

"I think in the short-term, obviously an opportunity's been missed but the fact Japan polled so strongly, it's given them a good impetus in the future."

Flowers said the fact Japan boasts the second-largest economy in the world, is the fifth-largest country in rugby player numbers and Asia represented 60 percent of the planet's population, was reason enough to get behind the bid.

"That was very much in our thinking in terms that World Cup is the jewel in the crown of rugby and it was a good opportunity to grow our game," he said.

"It may be a missed opportunity but that's the way the votes fell."

Flowers said the ARU was mindful of its close ties with New Zealand and South Africa when opting to support Japan in both rounds of IRB voting.

New Zealand rugby officials said ahead of the IRB vote that they would be disappointed if Australia did not support their bid.

Australia co-hosted the inaugural World Cup with New Zealand in 1987 and should have done in the 2003 renewal before the Kiwis withdrew over ground sponsorship conflicts with the IRB.

 

  Published : November 18, 2005

[cdnvic]

Japan? Gawd even WE beat them. What's next, Mexico bidding for the hockey world cup?

I think the kiwis won because they have the good sense to sell beer at rugby matches in plastic containers that only cause damage when they're full. No kiwi ia going to throw a full bottle on the field.

cv

[sadman]

Former British and Irish Lion Peter Wheeler was behind the Japanese bid and has expressed his disappointment. He says the rugby world has missed an opportunity to reach 60 percent of the World's population in Asia, though he admits New Zealand will put on a great tournament.

Whilst he was probably the finest hooker of his generation, Wheeler is a tool of the highest order. When Dean Richards got the bullet from Leicester, it was he who ordered the immediate renaming of 'Deano's Bar' at the club. As they say, the problem with God is that He thinks he's Peter Wheeler.

Having said all that, I played against him a fair few times and he played me off the park without even trying.

[chuchok]

Vote against NZ wrong, says top Australian

22.11.05

By Derek Cheng

The Australian who delivered the Olympic Games to Sydney has ripped into the Australian Rugby Union over its failure to back New Zealand's bid for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Rod McGeoch, who was recruited to New Zealand's successful bidding team, told the Herald last night that the ARU vote for Japan could rupture relations between the two countries.

"To me it's like the underarm incident - it'll go away, but it's so unnecessary ... It's not helped the sentiment between the two countries.

"The New Zealand Rugby Union believed if they didn't win this time they might never win it. Not being able to count on your partner, I think, is very disappointing."

Mr McGeoch said the ARU had the right to vote as it pleased, "but as Robert Louis Stevenson said, you have to dine at the banquet of consequences".

Yesterday, he sent a scathing letter to ARU chairman Dilip Kumar over its vote last Friday in Dublin.

"The position that the ARU has taken exhibits political naivety at a breathtaking level because it shows a misunderstanding of the consequences of the vote having regard to all of the circumstances," wrote Mr McGeoch.

In August, Mr McGeoch gave a presentation at what he called a "historic meeting" of the boards of the ARU and the NZRFU.

"I reminded everybody about the importance of the relationship," he said.

NZRFU chairman Jock Hobbs and chief executive Chris Moller had "absolutely eyeballed" the ARU delegates and asked, "Have we got your support?"

Therese Walsh, NZRFU general manager of corporate services, said the ARU gave no assurances, but the union was "extremely disappointed that the ARU chose not to support us".

"We have a long-standing relationship [with the ARU] which we consider to be very strong, but obviously we will want to discuss this matter."

ARU spokesman Strath Gordon said last night that the letter had been received.

"I would understand [the NZRFU's] disappointment, naturally, but I think we've been honest and up-front and explained our position."

He said the ARU had publicly stated that it would not decide whom it would vote for until the final day.

"Australia went to the hosting vote with both Sanzar partners putting their hands up for the job. It was a difficult situation."

Mr Gordon described the relationship between the New Zealand and Australian unions as "terrific".

"We don't always agree on everything. It would be a miracle if we did.

"Both parties accept that as the nature of any partnership, and the relationship is mature enough for it to continue."

Mr McGeoch, who was recruited after leading the bid for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, said voting for Japan would have been justified if the International Rugby Board had asked all its members to vote that way in the interests of the game.

"Plainly, no such message was delivered or requested by the leadership [of the IRB]. The votes say it all and in those circumstances, for Australia to fail to support New Zealand is beyond my comprehension," his letter continued.

"It was even put to me, presumably somewhat facetiously, that I would be the only Australian welcome in New Zealand.

"That is, to put it mildly, an extremely disappointing outcome which in the circumstances before you was totally avoidable."

[sadman]

Mr Gordon described the relationship between the New Zealand and Australian unions as "terrific".

Hmmm....... it didn't seem to be the case when the bidding for the 2003 RWC went on.

More importantly, many congrats to NZ. You are the best side in the world (for now) and I've no doubt that you'll put on a great show. I for one will be saving my beer vouchers and coming over for it.

[Pink Mist]

good luck to the sheep rooters, but the venues, which ones?