Something that had slipped my mind in the aftermath of the internationals last weekend was the fact that we will discover who will be hosting the 2011 World Cup this week. With New Zealand, South Africa and Japan being the only nations to have signalled intend, the contest does present some headaches for those fine people at the IRB who have to choose.

Acceptance of the Protean or Kiwi bid signals a status quo in the world of rugby union, with the IRB not willing to consider a new world order, outside of the eight founding nations of the IRB. They are safe bets, with a level of guaranteed revenue from television and ticket sales, which you simply will not get from the Asian market. They both dominate on the world stage and have both held aloft the Webb Ellis.

Japan, in rugby terms, are whipping boys. There last major test, not counting a win against Spain who are no rugby powerhouse, was against Ireland, in June this year, where a 29 point loss was handed out on home soil. And not many fans of the game will have forgotten their 145-17 annihilation at the hands of the All Blacks in the 95 World Cup.

Though, ironically, Japan may well have done. They have somewhere in the region of 130 000 registered players currently and acceptance of this bid could firmly place rugby in Asia’s eye-line. And this love of the game was confirmed by Rob Andrew who has put his weight behind their campaign.

”I said before Newcastle went on our pre-season tour to Japan this summer that I believed it was a rugby mad place and everything I experienced there confirmed it. The facilities we used were superb, as good as any other country in the world that I’ve ever visited as a player or coach. The grounds were immaculate, the hotels were great and there were big and noisy crowds wherever we went. Taking the World Cup to Japan would take rugby to a vast new audience... We know what World Cups in these places are like and it’s time to try something new. The game needs to move forward."

And with Martin Johnson, Jason Leonard and Nick Farr-Jones also adding their vocal support it does indeed seem that the Webb Ellis Trophy will be paying a visit to the Orient.