AFTER LOSING OUT in their 2023 Rugby World Cup bid, IRFU chief executive Philip Browne has expressed his disappointment with neighbours Wales and Scotland.

France won the rights to host the tournament yesterday, with Ireland finishing third behind South Africa thanks to just eight votes from the secret ballot.

While neither the Welsh nor the Scottish favoured an Irish victory, England did support efforts to bring the competition here for the first time.

“The only issue we have – we know that Scotland and Wales didn’t vote for us and that made a huge difference,” Browne told RTÉ Sport.

“As our nearest neighbours, that is a huge disappointment to us. Scotland were pretty consistent in saying they would wait for the evaluation report and that they would go with the bid that produces the most money.

Wales felt duty-bound and honour-bound to support Gareth Davies as he is a director of Rugby World Cup Limited, who actually produced the evaluation report. I can understand that.

“But even so it is terribly disappointing. We have to thank England who have supported us. It’s funny – when the chips are down the one country that always supports Ireland is England. We’re very grateful for that.”

- Originally published at 09.42

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