Ireland's bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup took a major blow during the week when it finished bottom of a technical review of the countries bidding to host the tournament.

South Africa, who finished top of the report, are favourites to be named hosts. France finished second in the report.

Ireland's bid is not yet dead in the water - the host nation will not be confirmed until November 15th following a vote by the World Rugby council.

There is hope that Ireland has garnered enough support from the voting unions be named hosts despite the knock from the technical review.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is one of those still believes Ireland are in with a shout. Speaking to the Irish Independent in Seattle, Varadkar said, "We won't be pulling out."


He also took a dig at South Africa's bid, suggesting that the games would be played in front of "half-empty" soccer stadiums.

What we want is a tournament where people see matches in full stadiums in the middle of rugby communities in our cities rather than in big soccer stadiums on the outskirts of our cities that would be half-empty. That's part of the case we'll be making to the rugby unions.

Photo by Christopher Lee / World Rugby via Sportsfile

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