It wasn't meant to be this way.
There was such huge optimism that Ireland would receive the recommendation of the Rugby World Cup board to the World Rugby Council to host the 2023 World Cup that it's a shock that South Africa have been recommended ahead of France, with Ireland third, following assessment of various criteria.
It makes it harder from a viability and credibility perspective for Ireland to turn the tide and convince a majority of nations to vote for us on November 15th.
The issue here is why World Rugby would employ an independent technical review group to forensically examine all three bids and then go against the findings.
Criteria
1. France 2. Ireland 3. South Africa
Vision And Hosting Concept Weighting (10%) 7.06% 6.75% 6.25%
Tournament, Organisation And
Schedule Weighting (5%) 3.75% 3.44% 3.91%
Venues And Host Cities Weighting (30%) 22.88% 21.75% 26.63%
Tournament Infrastructure Weighting (20%) 13.75% 13.63% 15.50%
Finance, Commercial And Commitments Weighting (35%) 28.44% 26.69% 26.69%
Total 100% France 75.88% Ireland 72.25% South Africa 78.97%
So Ireland came last in tournament organisation and schedule, in examination of venues and host cities, in assessment of tournament infrastructure and behind France in Finance.
It doesn't look good.
