Botswana

Having lost their opening two matches of the tournament, Samoa won three straight to join Fiji and the Cook Islands as the top three teams in the Pacific.

"I don't think anybody in the world has seen the number of dead elephants that I've seen over the last two years," he says. 

From above, we spot an elephant lying on its side in the cracked river mud. From a distance it could be mistaken for a resting animal. 

But the acrid stench of death hits us before we even land. 

Up close, it is a horror. 

He was a magnificent bull right in his prime, 45 to 50 years old. To get at his prized ivory tusks, poachers hacked off his face.  

The two countries have been in contact with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) about the prospect of bringing the event to their respective countries, with both now set to hold Governmental talks to decide whether to officially enter the race.

Countries have until the end of September to express an interest before formal candidacies must be declared by the end of October.

insidethegames also understands the Canadian city being proposed as their candidate is Edmonton, who withdrew from the race for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, eventually awarded to sole bidder Durban.