Knocking on with the line in sight

The International Rugby Board's decision to award the 2011 World Cup to New Zealand rather than Japan is another example of the short-sightedness that has held back the development of the game as a major global sport. Having recently attended Belgium's 26-20 World Cup qualifying victory over Croatia and seen the enthusiasm of the home supporters at the final whistle (most of the crowd of around 1,500 invaded the pitch to mob their heroes), it is clear that there is a growing appetite for rugby union outside its traditional powerbase - England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Italy. The Japanese World Cup bid was a great opportunity to acknowledge that the game is played in other countries too, but, like Geordan Murphy for Ireland against Australia yesterday, the IRB somehow contrived to waste a glorious chance.