Time to pass World Cup ball to the east, says Underwood

Rory Underwood has no qualms about speaking his mind. Even though England is in the running to host the 2015 World Cup, the former try-scoring ace believes if the tournament was awarded to Japan, it would help 'galvanise' the game in that country.

'If Japan gets it, it will galvanise the growth of the game in their country. Any chance to have a tournament like that in a non-top level country is going to help,' Underwood said at the launch of the second year of the HSBC Asian Five Nations this week.

The ex-England and British & Irish Lions winger was never known to shirk a challenge during his playing days. He knew his answer might be considered unpatriotic, but he was willing to lay it on the line as he saw it.

Underwood's comments might leave RFU officials back home in a little bit of a flap, but on the whole it is another reminder to England, the rest of the 'big eight' and the International Rugby Board (IRB) that it is high time they collectively lifted their heads out of the sand and take the 15-a-side showpiece outside the traditional boundaries.

Since the inaugural World Cup was hosted back in 1987 by Australia and New Zealand, the quadrennial tournament has see-sawed between the northern and southern hemisphere giants.

It has been a closed shop. The 1991 event was hosted by England with games also being held in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France. South Africa hosted it in 1995; Wales hosted it in 1999, sharing games with the rest of the Home Nations and France; Australia in 2003; and France in 2007 with games in Wales and Scotland.