VisitEngland has launched tourism preparations for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which officials claim will be the biggest ever.

The event will form part of what is becoming known as ‘The Golden Decade of Sport’, with the Cricket World Cup (2019) and Rugby League World Cup (2013) also set to take place.

It will be the second time England has hosted the Rugby World Cup; the last time was 1991.

England plans to use the Rugby World Cup 2015 to create a lasting legacy by spreading the gospel of rugby up and down the country.

After all, when Jonny Wilkinson scored the epic drop goal that clinched the Cup for England in 2003 with 20 seconds to go – one of the outstanding sporting moments of the decade – the euphoria that roared through the stadium lifted the whole country with a soaring sense of pride.

The next ten years will not only provide English sports fans with an incredible range of world-class sporting events but will also herald unprecedented investment in all areas of the sporting spectrum.

The impact of these events, particularly the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, will benefit generations for years to come.

Some 300,000 overseas visitors are expected during the six-week Rugby, which represents an additional £2 billion into the visitor economy and approximately 40 per cent of all the tickets available.

Lesser known destinations, including Newcastle, Coventry and Leicester, are also set to benefit, as hosts of matches during the tournament.