On Thursday, Australia was named as the host of the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Before the announcement shortly after lunchtime, Australian rugby administrators were not counting their chickens before they were hatched and saying little in public, but they were the only bidders for the tournament and World Rugby said they were its “preferred candidate”. 

Still, this is World Rugby. You never know with them. But then, dear reader, we’ve heard that before. SA for 2023, said World Rugby. Not so fast, said Bernard Laporte, president of the French federation, who then played loose and fancy free with backhanders and ethics to make sure any votes that should have gone SA’s way went his. But more on that later. ..

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