RUSSIA'S long awaited rugby World Cup debut against the United States on Thursday will provide a massive boost for the sport back home, say team officials.!

"It's huge. The eyes of the world are on the team. The match will be on the main TV channel," Russian team director Kingsley Jones told reporters in New Plymouth ahead of the clash. !

"This can take the game in Russia to the next level. There's huge interest. Hopefully it'll spark younger generations to get involved in rugby because the potential in Russia is huge."!

The game has been dubbed the 'Cold War' match in reference to the geo-political tension between the Soviet Union and US that developed after World War Two and lasted until the 1980s when Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan agreed to a detente that ultimately led to the end of the tension in the early 1990s when the Soviet Union broke up.!

The end of the Cold War, however, virtually destroyed the sport in Russia and it continues to struggle for media exposure and commercial interest, but Jones said the fact Russian deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov was attending the match indicated its importance.!

"I suppose it says that it (rugby) is being taken seriously," Jones said. "The deputy prime minister will add extra interest and Russia will be looking at this (saying), 'this is serious'."!

Russia has also been awarded the International Rugby Board's rugby sevens World Cup in 2013, while the introduction of the cut down version of the sport in the Olympics programme in 2016, will also undoubtedly boost the sport's appeal and exposure.!

"We had three things that changed Russian rugby dramatically that is rugby getting into the Olympics, qualifying for the rugby World Cup and winning the right to host the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2013," Russian Rugby Union vice president Howard Thomas said.!

"Those three factors are the perfect wave and Russian rugby has a lot of opportunities now to ride this wave. "There is no doubt, as symbolised by this trip, that we have government support.!

"Our government wants us to become a major rugby nation. They are prepared to support us in order to achieve that."!

While a Soviet Union team toured New Zealand in 1991, playing a New Zealand XV that included several All Blacks, Russia has never competed at a rugby World Cup, missing out on qualifying for the 1995 tournament in South Africa when they lost a crunch match to Romania.!

In 2003, they were banned from the tournament's qualifying rounds because of three incorrectly registered South African-born players, while in 2007 they lost to Portugal, who made their debut at the global showcase in France.!

Finally, after 24 years of waiting, the debutants were left with the unfortunate stigma of being the final team to play a match at the tournament and Jones said it has been difficult containing their excitement. "The last time we played was Aug. 26. It hasn't been easy (and) there has been an edge in training since we came here. Particularly since the tournament started, the lads are sitting back, watching the games on television.!

"They are anxious to play right now, the game can't start soon enough."!

While the game is being billed as the Cold War match, the players were not buying into the marketing hype, preferring instead to concentrate on their job on the field.!

"For us the game is not a political question," hooker Vladislav Korshunov said. "For us, it's just important to be here and take part at rugby World Cup."Reuters