NZ rejects World Cup sympathy vote claims

DUBLIN - New Zealand rugby officials reacted angrily to suggestions today that they were awarded the 2011 World Cup out of sympathy.

New Zealand, hosts and winners of the first World Cup in 1987, was the surprise winner of today's vote, beating Japan and South Africa for the right to hold the seventh version of the sport's biggest event.

It had been due to share the 2003 version with Australia but lost the right to do so after a row over stadium sponsorship and that appeared to have an effect on some of the voting members of the International Rugby Board's (IRB) council.

Former England captain Bill Beaumont, one of England's two council members, said: "New Zealand didn't get it in 2003 and now what goes around comes around and they've get the opportunity in 2011. I think people felt New Zealand deserved their turn."

NZRU chief executive Chris Moller rejected that idea.

"I don't think it would be a sympathy vote in any shape or form," he said.

"The rugby World Cup is just too big and too important. It's the jewel in the crown of rugby and you don't make these decisions based on sympathy."

Moller also denied that New Zealand had promised to play matches in exchange for votes, a common practice in previous votes.

"I would like to think one of the reasons we won this is based on integrity," he said.

Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick said: "New Zealand fans will be over the moon.

"There are four million people in New Zealand and every one of them feels they have a share of the All Blacks.

"They love their rugby union and will do everything to make sure the event is one to remember."

Japan had been favoured going into the vote and its officials were devastated to have missed out.

"We believe that rugby needs a new venue -- that's why Japan acted as a leader," Japanese Rugby Football Union president Yoshiro Mori said.

"Rugby should be globalised and why should we wait another 10 years?"

Mori also suggested that the vote went for New Zealand out of sympathy for its loss of 2003.

IRB chairman Syd Millar attempted to placate the Japanese, who left the voting arena quickly while officials from the two other bids mingled together in the bar.

"This was the first attempt Japan has made at a major rugby event and we've learned a lot about them," he said.

"I think they were pretty close today and I think if they were to tender for the next one the chances would be very, very good."

South African officials were taken aback by their elimination at the first stage of voting.

"We thought we'd done our homework, this has come as a complete shock," South Africa Rugby Union (Sarfu) deputy chief executive Mveleli Ncula said.

"We thought we'd prepared for every eventuality, we did a very, very good job but in a secret ballot anything can happen."

- REUTERS