The process to find the host for the 2007 Rugby World Cup took a surprise twist today after England and France, the only two countries aiming to stage the tournament, were told to re-submit their bids by the International Rugby Board (IRB).
Following a meeting of its ruling council at its Dublin heaquarters, the IRB issued a statement saying: "As neither of the bids submitted by England and France for the hosting of Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2007 complied with the tender document, both unions have been instructed to provide bids which are in compliance."
It is now understood that England, whose initial proposal contained plans for both a traditional as well as a new format World Cup, and France, who only offered one tournament stucture, will submit fresh bids.
The statement added that both nations would be allowed to stray outside the original bid terms.
"Furthermore the unions may also submit one alternative bid which does not conform to the tender document," the statement read.
An IRB spokeswoman also told of why both bids had been rejected: "The France bid fell outside the windows we had for hosting the tournament," she said.
"We offered October to November or June to July. The France bid was for a tournament in September to October." She then added that the England bid had failed on two counts. "We asked for a tournament with 20 nations. They reduced it to 16.
"And one of their bids also altered the structure of the qualifying tournament."
England's favoured option was for a "two-tier" tournament with 16 nations in the main World Cup and a 32-team inaugural World Nations Cup for emerging countries running alongside it.
Explaining the decision to offer both nations a chance to make two bids, the spokeswoman said: "The council decided they wanted one bid to comply with the existing tender and one that did not."
Both nations, whom the IRB spokeswoman confirmed were still the only contenders to host the 2007 World Cup, have until January 15th, 2003, to re-submit their bids.
The bids will then be considered by the RWC directors whose recommendation will be put before the IRB annual meeting in April.
England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) are due to respond to the IRB announcement on Friday.