South Africa is set to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup after a recommendation from the sport’s governing body which identified the Rainbow Nation as the “clear leader” ahead of France and Ireland. To some surprise, it won the unanimous approval of the World Rugby board after scoring highest in an exhaustive evaluation report and is expected to be ratified when the World Rugby council votes on 15 November. It is a devastating blow for Ireland, bidding to host the tournament for the first time and the odds-on favourite, only to score lowest (72.25%) in the evaluation report, which appraised each bid in five main criteria. France, which had pledged to prevent the “death of world rugby” with its promise of lucrative profits for the governing body, was second (75.88%). South Africa, however, came out on top in the evaluation report in three of the five categories, for a total score of 78.97%, with its proposed host cities and venues, relying heavily on those used during the 2010 football World Cup, proving pivotal. France emerged on top in two of categories – including finances – while damningly for Ireland, it failed to do so in any. France and Ireland released…