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South Africa and Italy have confirmed their bids to host either the 2015 or 2019 rugby World Cup tournaments.

The Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) said in a statement it had handed in a bid book to the International Rugby Board after the country's Senate approved a financial package for the tournament on Wednesday.

South Africa has gone ahead with its bid after the newly elected Jacob Zuma-led government agreed to underwrite the costs of staging the event.

England and Japan are also in contention but Australia, Scotland and Ireland have withdrawn from the process after saying it would be too expensive to host, with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) claiming the IRB's guarantee fee was too high.

The IRB require a fee of £80 million for the 2015 tournament and £96 million pounds for the 2019 tournament. It also keeps all commercially generated revenue with the hosts retaining only ticket revenue.

"The government has been very supportive and they have provided the financial backing to allow us to complete what we believe is a compelling case to bring the rugby World Cup back home," said South African Rugby Union (SARU) president Oregan Hoskins.

"Players, spectators and media would enjoy world-class facilities in purpose-built stadia; our financial model and time zoning would maximise commercial revenues and we're a rugby hungry country that can promise ideal playing conditions at a time of year when the rugby World Cup would be the only sports event in the national imagination."

SARU said in their bid document, delivered to the IRB on Thursday, that the country would use the stadiums being built for the 2010 soccer World Cup with the opening match and final to be held at the 90,000-capacity Soccer City complex.

"South Africa is spending billions on upgrading our infrastructure and on venues to host the FIFA World Cup next year and the legacy of that tournament offers rugby an incredible opportunity to put on a spectacular tournament in ideal conditions," said bid committee chairman Mark Alexander.

The 1995 rugby World Cup was held in South Africa, with Johannesburg's 60,000-seater Ellis Park hosting the final.

Italy's bid would use a raft of famous soccer stadiums and also includes Marseille after the French city successfully held matches in the 2007 edition hosted by France.

SARU and FIR will present their bids to the IRB Council in Dublin on May 13.

The announcement of the successful bids will be made on July 28.

Reuters