The hosts of the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and 2019 will be announced on Tuesday and, despite previous controversial decisions caused by the ”horse-trading” of votes, England (2015) and Japan (2019) are hot favourites.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) asked the tournament organisers Rugby World Cup to review all the bids and a month ago they recommended that England should host in 2015 and Japan four years later.
They argued that a World Cup in England, who hosted the 1991 tournament, would maximise the event’s commercial possibilities while a first World Cup in Asia would be a huge boost for the development of the game in that region.
England failed in its bid for the 2007 tournament when France won votes from the Home Unions after promising matches to Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Japan was surprisingly beaten by New Zealand in the vote to host the next World Cup in 2011.
South Africa and Italy have also submitted bids but it would be a major surprise if the IRB went against the advice they sought from their own partners.
The 24-man IRB Council will make the final decision in Dublin with an announcement expected at about 1.30pm GMT. – Reuters