The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has stated its intention to bid for the right to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Having bid for the previous three tournaments, South Africa are desperate to bring the tournament back to the Rainbow Nation. No world cup has ever come close to being as significant as the 1995 event where Nelson Mandela famously wore the Springbok jersey and handed Francois Pienaar the trophy.
The country has recently hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup with great success. Although rugby is a far better game than football, the infrastructure should already be in place for the tournament be a great occasion. Jurie Roux, the CEO of the SARU, has said, “Bidding will mean a lot of hard work and I am sure the competition will be fierce but this country has a unique experience to offer the game’s travelling supporters.”
Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Peter Robinson, and the Irish Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, have already come together to attempt to host the tournament, while Argentina and the USA have also thrown their hat in the ring. All three of these countries would probably offer an excellent spectacle, but it might just be time to bring it back to South Africa.
Below is a short clip explaining the significance of Mandela’s actions at the 1995 world cup: