Peter Bills, writing in The Independent, believes that South Africa's World Cup bid is doomed due to the IRB's desire to the Sevens at the Olympics.
"South Africa's bid for the 2015 or 2019 Rugby World Cup is likely to be sacrificed tomorrow on the altar of the game's greatest desire, entry into the Olympics.
"The full IRB Council, which is meeting in Dublin tomorrow, is set to ratify the recommendation of the World Cup committee that England should host the tournament in 2015 and Japan four years later.
"England, because of their enormous financial capacity, were always bankers for the 2015 event, especially as the 2011 event in New Zealand is struggling financially. The IRB needs a whopping financial bonanza in 2015 and England is the one nation guaranteed to provide that.
"But the reason Japan is expected to win the vote for 2019 ahead of South Africa is the issue of rugby in the Olympic Games, a dream the IRB has had for the better part of 50 years."