SA Rugby on Thursday submitted documents to World Rugby confirming that they are still in contention to host Rugby World Cup 2023‚ but with a caveat.World Rugby's 'Applicant Submission' deadline is at midnight on September 1 and SA Rugby fulfilled that requirement.Prior to this step SA had only submitted an 'expression of interest' document.Times Media understands that SA Rugby went through the process to meet World Rugby's requirements so as not to miss the deadline‚ but they still do not have the backing of government‚ which is a vital prerequisite to a final bid.Mbalula sparks confusion over whether SA Rugby can continue bidding for the 2023 Rugby World Cup or notConfusion reigns over South Africa’s Rugby World Cup 2023 bid. In April Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula revoked rugby's privilege of "hosting and bidding for major and mega international tournaments in South Africa" as a "consequence of not meeting their own set transformation targets."Three other sporting codes were similarly penalised.An Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Sports Transformation‚ chaired by Dr Willie Basson‚ which recommended the sanction based on its findings‚ will review the situation over the coming months and present an update to government early next year.An SA Rugby spokesman said: "We have been shadowing the process and have submitted an application as per World Rugby's deadline. However‚ whether we will be permitted to make a Bid depends on whether rugby has met the targets we have agreed with Government by the time of the next Eminent Persons' Group report in March next year."SA Rugby needs government to underwrite the associated costs of putting on the global showpiece seven years from now‚ not least of which is World Rugby's 'fee' in the region of R2bn.But SA Rugby cannot take on a project of this size without government's blessing‚ even if it were capable of affording it without using taxpayers' money.Mbalula made that abundantly clear in April."There's no federation in this country that can host any mega event without government‚ there's nothing that will happen‚ they can't organise anything and it is absolutely within the law‚ our right and what we can do‚" Mbalula said in April.AfriForum‚ Solidarity turn to Labour Court to fight Mbalula’s bidding bansCivil rights group AfriForum and trade union Solidarity are taking legal action to tackle the issue of quotas in sport. Next March Mbalula will decide whether to continue with the suspension‚ or rescind it‚ once he has studied the EPG's review.Officially that would be too late for the RWC 2023 bid as that process starts in earnest tonight.But behind the scenes there have been meetings and lobbying between SA Rugby and Mbalula‚ and SA Rugby and World Rugby.The game's global administrators want SA to bid to add legitimacy to the contest.Ireland‚ Italy and France were the other nations to submit expressions of interest. But they are all European.A World Rugby Technical Review Group will evaluate the applicant submissions handed in today.The outcomes of the evaluation will be independently assessed to ensure a fair and consistent approach.Applicants that meet the criteria outlined will move to the candidate phase on November 1‚ 2016.The host for RWC 2023 will be announced in November 2017.  - TMG Digital..