We're 'READY FOR THE WORLD'. Didn't they see the bloody video?!

South Africa have a dog in the fight but it is looking increasingly likely that the 2023 World Cup will go to either France or Ireland. The French got their act together woefully late but they are going full kitchen sink now. The FFR [France's rugby union] kicked it all off by branding 2023 on their Stade de France pitch and their national team[s] gear. They then boasted to World Rugby how they would bring in much more cash to their coffers with their state-of-the-art stadia and bounty of hotel accommodation. As if that wasn't enough, they got Mike bloody Tyson to back the bid. https://twitter.com/BernardLaporte_/status/860912248595898368 They're not finished there. On June 30, the FFR spoke at the European Rugby Congress and they put their case to the nations present ahead of the deciding votes later this year. An FFR report on the presentation could not resist a dig at Ireland's 2023 delegation.

'These Irish are curious! ... They asked to make their presentation without any French observers in the room.' 

So we're keeping our cards close to our chest. So what?! The French delegation laid it on pretty damned thick with some of the smaller European rugby nations too. FFR president Bernard Laporte suggested that France, in return for World Cup backing, would push for an eight team 'Six Nations', with the likes of Georgia, Romania and Russia all getting a chance to qualify each year. That wasn't all. Laporte also reached out to Canada and the United States with offers to help grow their game. They then dropped a three-volume, 810-page dossier that claimed they would give World Rugby £271m for the hosting rights and also dole out a percentage of any profits they made. Their bid game is strong but have they got.... Bernard Brogan? Didn't ruddy think so. https://youtu.be/LxVR55TLDik We're not losing this one lads.