England set to be 2015 hosts

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The Rugby Football Union are understood to have received enough expressions of support to earn up to 17 votes from the 26-man council and beat off the challenge from South Africa and Italy.

Barring any dramatic late political horse-trading, the IRB are expected to ratify the recommendation made by the board of Rugby World Cup Ltd in Tuesday's first vote and confirm England as 2015 hosts with Japan to stage the 2019 World Cup.

England's bid was guaranteed four votes because the RFU and the Welsh Rugby Union, who have made the Millennium Stadium available for the tournament, have two each.

Crucially, the RFU's bidding team believe they have now secured support from South Africa's SANZAR partners New Zealand and Australia plus Ireland and France.

Talks between the RFU and Scotland, whose request for inclusion in an England bid was turned down on financial grounds, were said to be ongoing.

But England also hope to count on Japan and Asia - who in backing the recommendation would also be voting for themselves in 2019 - plus votes from Canada, the north America region and the federation of European unions.

A senior RFU source told Press Association Sport: "If they all do what they have promised then we are through the barrier."

England last hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1991, although they did stage matches in 1999, including both semi-finals at Twickenham, when it was officially Wales' tournament.

If England are rubber-stamped as hosts, the 2015 World Cup final would be staged at Twickenham but the RFU have already reached an agreement to use eight of the country's leading football grounds including Wembley, Old Trafford, Anfield and the Emirates Stadium.