JOHANNESBURG – In an effort to keep the momentum going, South Africa's 2023 Rugby World Cup bid committee will host various events and campaigns ahead of the November 15 announcement on whether the country will host the spectacle.
The committee, led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, has presented its bid to the World Rugby Board in London.
South Africa, which hosted the tournament in 1995 and went on to lift the trophy that year, is up against fellow bidders France and Ireland.
South Africa and France have emerged as favourites.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is flanked by Springbok World Cup-winning captains John Smit and Francois Pienaar in London on Monday. Photo: @Springboks via Twitter
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said he was optimistic SA would clinch the bid.
The bid committee is to meet next week and topping its agenda is activities that will be rolled out before the eagerly awaited announcement.
Alexander called on South Africans to rally behind the bid committee as they waited for the announcement. Details of the pre-announcement activities would be announced soon.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander was part of the team that presented South Africa's bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Photo: Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix
One of the campaigns the bid committee envisages will urge South Africans to wear Springbok jerseys, as with the 2010 Fifa World Cup, which South Africa hosted and when South Africans showed their support by wearing Bafana Bafana jerseys.
Alexander thanked South Africans for their support of the #SouthAfrica2023 social media campaign.
“Our aim is to get everybody on board across the country as the tournament will benefit all of us,” he said.
South Africa stands to earn an estimated R27 billion should it win the bid to host the Rugby World Cup.