Dhaka, Nov. 8 -- Rugby is not an Asian game. Among all countries of the continent, it is only in Japan the game had gained some extent of popularity in the past, which too had largely been overshadowed by the increasing popularity of football since 1990s. As a result, when Japan was chosen as the host nation for 2019 Rugby World Cup, the decision came to the surprise of most other nations where the popularity of the game by far supersedes many other sporting events.

It is not only that Japan did not have a professional rugby league attracting enough audience needed for generating revenue for its sustenance; the country hardly had any rugby stadium big enough for accommodating audience expected in World Cup games. Rugby in Japan continued...