Durban Games Withdrawal May Cast A Shadow on RWC2023 Bid

The withdrawal of Durban, South Africa as the host city for the 2022 Commonwealth Games presents the prospect of a UK city stepping in as a replacement for an event where rugby sevens has become a contributing force. More significantly for rugby perhaps, that financial constraints and lack of government backing were quoted as the main factors preventing the Durban organisers from progressing, casts a shadow on South Africa’s bid for RWC2023. David Grevemberg, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said the city did not meet the criteria set by his organisation, and the search fo…