HOW THE VOTING WORKS

THERE are 39 votes up for grabs at London’s Royal Garden hotel on Wednesday morning, with 20 the magic number for victory.

Seven Tier One nations — Argentina, Australia, England, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales — have three votes each, taking up a total of 21.

The next 14 votes come from the six regional associations — Oceania, South America, North

America, Africa, Europe and Asia — and Japan, who have two votes each.

Four individual unions — America, Canada, Georgia and Romania — have a single vote each.

Voting is confidential, but countries like England, who have three votes, will vote en bloc as mandated by their union rather than it being left up to an individual delegate to decide.

When independent auditors confirm a majority winner, chairman Bill Beaumont will go to a media conference to announce the winner.

In 2009, when World Rugby council last voted a World Cup host, there were 26 votes. Rugby World Cup had endorsed respective 2015 and 2019 bids of England and Japan in the build-up and delegates voted these recommendations through by 16-10.