NZ will drop out of World Cup running, SA claims

South African rugby bosses have told their politicians that New Zealand may drop out of the race for the 2011 Rugby World Cup before it even reaches the starting blocks.


South African bid committee chief executive Francois Pienaar told parliament's sport portfolio committee on Wednesday New Zealand had a problem with stadium capacity, the SAPA news agency reported.


"We have heard it might be a bridge too far," he said.


Pienaar said Japan had also expressed an interest in bidding for the event, and that January 31 was the deadline for bidders to confirm their intentions with the International Rugby Board (IRB) and put down a non-refundable deposit of £25,000 ($67,500).


But he said that though New Zealand had a strong "rugby pedigree", its bid was commercially not very strong, and there was a rumour it would not put down the deposit.


He said New Zealand had a problem with stadium capacity because the IRB required a guarantee that a host country could sell a certain amount of tickets.


For the coming British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand, three cruise liners had been chartered to provide accommodation for British fans, following the games from port to port.


There had been a suggestion that Japan and New Zealand co-host the tournament, but the IRB had made it clear after New Zealand's difficulties in co-hosting the 2003 cup with Australia that it did not want to repeat the exercise.


Pienaar said he believed that South Africa, as "a nation that loves their rugby", held the edge over Japan.


The IRB is to make its decision known on the successful bidder in November.


Twenty teams are to play 48 matches, and the bid committee says it expects about 145,000 visitors would come to South Africa, the bulk of them from Europe.


Pienaar said Argentina, a keen rugby-playing country which was "a mere seven hours" flight from South Africa, had expressed an interest in hosting matches.


- NZPA