African rugby teams will have to face each other in France to qualify for the next World Cup

In a controversial move last month, Rugby Africa, the regional association for rugby in the continent, announced that it had chosen France as the host for the Rugby Africa Cup 2022, a tournament that will double as a qualifier for African teams for the following year’s Rugby World Cup. It said it had made the decision this after issuing a call for applications to its 39 African member federations and France, which will host the eventual World Cup in 2023. Now Rugby Africa has defended its decision to have France host the tournament, saying it’s important for the growth of African rugby.