The Rugby Football Union won a significant victory in their campaign to host the 2015 World Cup on Tuesday after tournament organisers officially endorsed their bid.

The board of Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) recommended the 2015 event be staged in England and suggested Japan become the first emerging nation to host the tournament four years later.

RWCL is an arm of the International Rugby Board. The final decision will be made by the IRB council on July 28.

England, who last staged the World Cup in 1991, earned the valuable RWCL recommendation ahead of rivals South Africa and Italy due to the financial strength of their bid.

The RFU pitched a "low risk, high reward" tournament that would maximise revenues for the IRB, allowing the game to take a step into the unknown in 2019.

World Cup chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "After detailed review the board decided that England and Japan would provide the best balanced combination of hosts for the continued worldwide development of the game.

"A tournament in England would allow the IRB to maximise funding available for investment in the game through a strong commercial programme and a great RWC showcase.

"The RWCL Board believes that a Rugby World Cup in Japan would provide a gateway to the further development and expansion of the game in Asia, reaching out to new young fans and providing a superb spectacle for the sport."

The 2015 Rugby World Cup would fall in the middle of the so-called 'Decade of Sport', which could see Britain hosting the three biggest sporting events in the world.

On the back of the London Olympics, the government believe a successful bid from the RFU would provide the Football Association's campaign to host the 2018 World Cup with a major shot in the arm.