Voting breakdown for Rugby World Cup 2023 is very humbling

It was between Ireland, France and South Africa.

In the end, it was between France and South Africa but little did we know that we weren't even being looked at in round two. In total, 39 votes were accumulated based on the breakdown of different countries' weights to determine who would host the Rugby World Cup in 2023. Tier 1 nation votes count for more and bidders cannot vote. https://twitter.com/EWNsport/status/930707400017039360 In total, Ireland mustered eight of those 39 possible votes. Barely over 20 per cent of the vote. So, they didn't even make it to the final round of voting where six more nations then sided with the French bid.

Round One France 18 South Africa 13 Ireland 8 Round Two France 24 South Africa 15

Some of Ireland's near neighbours are even said to have overlooked the Irish bid as the French swept home. Although South Africa were recommending in the technical vote, there's no obligation for World Rugby to follow that. France held the Rugby World Cup in 2007. They hosted the soccer World Cup in 1998 and the European Championships in 2000 and 2016. In 2023, the world will descend on French ground once more. Ireland didn't even get close.