Martyn Thomas, the management board chairman of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), received a guarantee of support after meeting with Brown and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham.

 

The RFU had warned last month that they may be forced to withdraw their bid because of the current economic crisis which had thrown into doubt whether they could raise the £80 million guarantee required by the International Rugby Board to stage the event.

 

Thomas outlined the levels of financial support the RFU require if England are to host the tournament - now considered the world's third-biggest sporting event - for the first time since 1991.

 

Further meetings are now planned.

 

Brown offered his support publicly as he addressed England players and officials at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday to mark the launch of the RFU's Injured Players Foundation.

 

The Prime Minister, who lost an eye playing rugby when he was 16, said: "I believe that rugby is one of the great sports and I also believe we can win the Rugby World Cup [bid for] this country in 2015.

 

"I hope that you [the RFU] will be able to persuade other countries that the Rugby World Cup should come here.

 

"I am here to support people who were part of the 2007 World Cup team when you played South Africa [in the final], having already beaten France and Australia.

 

"I was very proud to be in Paris that day when you took on the South Africans and performed so well."

 

England's leading rivals to host the 2015 World Cup are Japan, who controversially missed out to New Zealand on the 2011 tournament, and South Africa while Italy and Scotland also registered their interest.

 

Staging a World Cup without Government support is impossible and Thomas explained to Burnham how strong the competition is to win the 2015 hosting rights.

 

Thoms said: "I am pleased to say Andy Burnham has indicated today he is very happy to sit down with us and give us some support.

 

"There seem to be potentially two other countries that are likely to be strong contenders where their Government has come very strong to say they will, as we are told, underwrite the bid totally.

 

"One is in Europe and one in South Africa.

 

"I have had a very positive meeting with Andy Burnham who is the boss and with Gordon Brown who is the ultimate boss.

 

"Certainly Andy is very supportive in helping us win the Rugby World Cup.

 

"England will bid for the World Cup.

 

"We have certainly had very good discussions with the Welsh in terms of using the facilities they have, particularly the Millennium Stadium but also the Ospreys and maybe the new Cardiff stadium.

 

"I am sure if we go ahead with the bid we will certainly involve games in Wales.

 

"We haven't totally ruled out games further north.

 

"We want to make sure there are games in the North of England and that it reaches out to as many people as possible."