KEY POINTS:
The vastness of Asia is impossible to comprehend. The teeming masses in Hong Kong where humans are piled on top of one another on every square inch of land and air, gives some idea of the dynamism and personnel resource of the continent.
But even the hustle and
bustle of Hong Kong pales into insignificance compared with Japan. On any given day, 25 million commuters go through one train station in Tokyo.
"More people go through one train station in Tokyo than live in Australia and New Zealand combined," said
Japan coach John Kirwan who was part of a media debate hosted by HSBC to debate the future of Asian rugby ahead of the Bledisloe Cup test. "Tokyo has the GDP of Italy."
The former All Black revealed the staggering statistic to reinforce how important it is the next World Cup goes to Japan. Even as a proud Kiwi, he is adamant the IRB erred in giving the 2011 tournament to New Zealand.
His great hope now, and he has strong support across Asia, is that the IRB are not suckered into trying to compensate for the predicted losses the 2011 tournament is set to make.
"It is like being a coach not wanting your players to compound their errors," said Kirwan. "The errors started in 2003 when the World Cup should have been shared between Australia and New Zealand. They tried to make up for that mistake by giving it to New Zealand in 2011.
"I hope they don't make another. It's important we understand strategically where we are going. So no more political games. Let's make the right decision for our game.
"I believe the future is Asia. I think the game is saturated in the UK and in the Southern Hemisphere.
"Japan has 120,000 rugby players. Sri Lanka has 90,000. How can anyone in their right mind say it [2015 World Cup] will not make money? Japan has a population of 120 million people, the second biggest economy in the world, great infrastructure.
"How can you say it will not make money?" said Kirwan.
It would seem the wider Asian region is working together to bring the next tournament to Japan. Those hosting rights are top priority and, with the IRB's fee having greatly increased from the 48 million New Zealand will have to stump up for the 2011 event, it needs a heavyweight economy to get the job done properly.
The World Cup, then, is the single biggest factor likely to affect growth of the game in Asia but there are other issues to be determined.
Former British Lions captain Gavin Hastings says it would be a mistake for the region to see the growth of sevens as detrimental to the growth of 15s. Hong Kong has a long association with the abbreviated game and teams such as South Korea, Taipei and China are improving rapidly in the reduced code.
"I don't have an issue with sevens," said Hastings. "Look back and many of the world's great players like Campo [David Campese] and Waisale Serevi all featured out here in Hong Kong.
"Seven-a-side rugby can be awesome and my fear is we could make 15-a-side rugby more boring than it is occasionally. Everyone watching sevens rugby could not say in their wildest dreams that it is boring.
"Okay, there are tactics but you have the space on the field to showcase your pace and skills. If 15-a-side rugby remains the game for fat boys, is that a bad thing? No, I don't think it is and if sevens is the future for the game, then bring it on, I say."
The attraction of sevens is that it is easier to get a competitive team because the game is less technical and fewer players are needed.
As well, many administrators in Asia and the IRB see sevens possibly becoming an Olympic sport.
There has been a concerted push over the last decade to try to force sevens into the Olympics. If sevens gets in, many developing nations will be able to source Government funding.
Having the abbreviated sport in the Commonwealth Games is, according to Indian captain Nasser Hussain, going to do much to help grow the game in India. The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be in Delhi and Hussain hopes the legacy will be the country's first rugby stadium.
* Gregor Paul is in Hong Kong courtesy of HSBC.
