The bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup has got ugly over the last few weeks since World Rugby recommended that South Africa should host the event.
There has been a lot of mud-slinging by the Ireland and France, who are the other contenders looking to secure the votes to host the sports showpiece event. The announcement will be made on Wednesday.
KweséESPN puts together some facts why South Africa would be the perfect candidate to host the event in six years' time.
World-class stadiums in all corners of the country
South Africa will probably able to pull off a successful World Cup tomorrow if it had to, because the existing stadiums are all top class. They have all been well maintained following a successful FIFA World Cup in 2010 and are all fully operational. The final will probably be played at the iconic FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, which has a capacity of over 90 000 -- fitting for a match of that magnitude.
Experienced in hosting top events
Despite the British press predicting doom and gloom ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the event was hailed as one of the best ever hosted and was largely incident free. South Africa has hosted many great sporting events in past, such as the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which united a nation divided by 50 years of apartheid, as well as the 1996 and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2003 Cricket World Cup.
Great climate for entertaining rugby
The weather is going to be glorious around September and October. It's not going to have the heat of a December or January, but will be pleasant and dry. The pitches will also be in cracking condition, and very quick. This is definitely going to promote running rugby and encourage teams to be adventurous, which will be entertaining to watch.
Cheap for foreigners who want to explore South Africa
A round of golf, a couple of beers and pizza at Boschenmeer Golf Estate in Paarl are going to cost you less than £40 pounds. A prime steak at one of the top steakhouses in Johannesburg is going to cost you about £10 pounds. Bringing the family over to enjoy the beaches, spas and wildlife while you watch the rugby, could be the best investment yet. And, it won't cost you an arm and a leg -- except if you get too close to the lions.
It's the right thing to do
It's been 22 years since South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup and it's only right that Africa gets another crack at the event. The World Cup will also have a proper tournament feel in South Africa, because of the sport's popularity in the country. The Springboks may not be at their best at the moment, but South Africa is still a rugby-mad nation who needs something big to unite it again.