New Zealand to host RWC 2011

New Zealand get second helpings

New Zealand has won the right to host the 2011 Rugby Cup World, beating off the challenge of Japan and South Africa in the International Rugby Board's vote in Dublin on Thursday.

South Africa was eliminated from the race after losing out in the first round of voting.

The failure of the South African bid, led by former Springbok captain François Pienaar, left Japan and New Zealand free to contest the final vote.

But the New Zealand delegation, supported by prime minister Helen Clarke and All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, overcame the populist choice to win the rights to stage rugby's showpiece tournament.

It will be the second time the RWC has been held in New Zealand, who staged the inaugural event alongside Australia in 1987.

They had also been due to co-host the 2003 tournament with Australia before being stripped of the right by the IRB after a row over stadium advertising.

Concerns remain over whether New Zealand has the infrastructure to stage such an event - they struggled to find shelter for the fans who followed the Lions tour earlier this year and were forced to siphon the overflow into floating hotels.

But in terms of rugby pedigree few could argue with their success - New Zealanders cherish the game of rugby above all else.

"I want to acknowledge Japan and South Africa," said jubilant New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs.

"It was a very tough day so we feel their disappointment. We thanks the IRB councillors and we won't let them down.

"Winning the right to host the World Cup is an enormous honour and great responsibility. We will honour that responsibility. It's a proud day to be a Kiwi."

IRB chairman Dr Syd Millar said: "I'm confident that any of three could have hosted a successful tournament as all three bids were of the highest order.

"But I would like to congratulate New Zealand, a a great rugby nation."

Nveleli Ncula, deputy chief executive officer for South African Rugby Football Union, said he was shocked that his country failed to even make the final round of voting.

"We thought we'd done our homework, this has come as a complete shock," said Ncula.

"We thought we'd prepared for every eventuality, we did a very very good job.

"We had the support of the government, and we had very positive responses from the unions but in a secret ballot anything can happen."

Japanese Rugby Football Union president Yoshiro Mori expressed his disappointment over his party's unsuccessful bid.

"Many people supported our goal of making rugby global," said Mori.

"We did not receive the exact vote but we think that a lot of sympathy was with New Zealand because they weren't able to host the World Cup in 2003.

"All the boys in the meeting were saying that we have to make rugby global, so why do we have to wait for another five or 10 years to make this happen?"

No details of the voting are to be revealed in order to protect the "sensitivities" of the losing delegations, according to an IRB spokesman.