HK back Japan's RWC bid
Hong Kong has thrown its support behind the Japanese bid for the 2015 Rugby World Cup and will back Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Noburo 'Nobby' Mashimo to be the new Asian Rugby Football Union representative on the International Rugby Board.
Mashimo will be the strong favourite for the key position currently held by Hong Kong-based Jamie Scott - which will be decided at next month's council meeting of the 25 Asian rugby nations in Brunei.
'We have given a commitment to the Japanese Rugby Union we would support their candidate for this position,' Hong Kong Rugby Football Union chairman Trevor Gregory said yesterday. 'It's in the best interests of Asia that we have a Japanese delegate as Arfu representative on the IRB, especially with Japan bidding for the 2015 World Cup.'
Scott's loyalty was called into question by Japan's IRB representatives in 2005 when Japan lost the vote to host the 2011 World Cup, being beaten by New Zealand by a slender 11-10 margin. But Scott vehemently denied the carge at the time, maintaining his loyalty to Asian rugby and insisting he did vote for the Japanese bid in the secret ballot. But Kiwi-born Scott assured the Japan Rugby Football Union he had voted for its bid.
With the Japanese having stated their intentions of bidding for the 2015 World Cup, it was felt they should have their people in place before the IRB votes in 2009. Amendments to the Arfu constitution have helped, mainly the decision to split Scott's role, with a secretary-general and a separate Arfu representative.
'There have been a lot of difficulties within Arfu in the past 18 months or so,' revealed Gregory, alluding to the fact that failing to secure the 2011 World Cup had left a bitter aftertaste in Japan. 'We decided to take a neutral stance on this and back Nobby for the IRB position. Asia needs the World Cup.'
If Mashimo is elected by Arfu to represent the Asian body on the IRB, Japan would be guaranteed two votes on the IRB council. The JRFU already has one vote.
