LONDON -- France has been selected to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup ahead of South Africa and Ireland on Wednesday.
France, which previously hosted the tournament in 2007, beat its rivals in a secret ballot by the World Rugby Council in London on Wednesday.
An evaluation report undertaken by World Rugby and third-party experts last month had unanimously picked South Africa as the "optimal choice" for the tenth edition of the tournament, prompting a critical response from the French bid on certain key points.
But France beat South Africa 24-15 in a second round of voting.
It means France will host prestigious events back-to-back, with the 2024 Olympic Games being held in Paris.
