This will not be the final outcome, with a secret ballot of 39 votes to be cast on Wednesday, November 15, to determine the eventual host country. 

All three bidding rugby unions have long-since submitted their final pitches and are facing two critical phases of the decision process, having completed 15 months of a rigorous 16-month bidding process.

World Rugby's independent technical review group have carried out an evaluation process on each of the bids based on a number of economic, financial and commercial factors.

The assessment has been performed by a team of ten World Rugby, Rugby World Cup Ltd, area managers and independent experts, who have been working since June. 

Tomorrow this independent body will formally recommend to World Rugby's Council which of the candidates they favour.

Being the Council's preferred bidder is far from a guarantee of eventual success, although it will certainly put the victors in a healthy position when the council meet 15 days later to finally vote.

The Council can choose to ignore the report's recommendations, or apply it to their vote.

The World Rugby Council are the game's power brokers and although it does not have a board of directors as such, it is made up of a 12 strong Executive Committee.

This is made up of chairman Bill Beaumont, vice-chairman Agustin Pichot, Scotland's John Jeffrey, Bob Latham of the United States; Brett Robinson, Australia, Mark Robinson, New Zealand; Pat Whelan, Ireland; chief executive Brett Gosper; Lord Mervyn Davies and Wendy Luhabe, independent members; Gareth Davies, Wales and Bernard Laporte, France.  

Underneath the Executive Committee the Council has 31-members with a total of 39 votes at aim for with regards to the 2023 World Cup as France, Ireland and South Africa do not get a vote.

The voting, on November 15, will be by secret ballot with strict guidelines on lobbying. 

Voting should "take the Evaluation Commission's recommendation into consideration".

Argentina, Australia, England, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland and  Wales carry three votes apiece.

Japan, the 2019 hosts, have two votes as do each of the six Regional Associations: Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America and South America.

The four other unions, from Canada, Georgia, Romania and the United States, have one vote apiece.

Each union with multiple votes can chose to split up their allocation, meaning that Australia, England or New Zealand could feasibly give one vote to each of the three bids.

Equally, they can also abstain, choosing not to vote.

Votes are kept confidential and if one team reaches a majority of 20 votes in the first round, then they will be crowned hosts of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

If there is no majority, then the candidates with the fewest votes will be eliminated leaving it as a two-horse race in round two.

In the event of a stalemate, World Rugby's chairman, Bill Beaumont, will decide the 2023 hosts.