Jonathon Moore BBC Sport Online

The general secretary of the Georgian Rugby Union has pleaded with the sport's superpowers to offer more financial assistance to the emerging nations.

Georgia will meet England in Australia, after qualifying their first World Cup with a hard-fought 7-13 win over Russia in Tbilisi last weekend.

But according to Michael Burdzgla, more needs to be done to level the playing field between countries.

"The financial crisis that has gripped our country has made it very difficult for us," Burdzgla told BBC Sport Online.

"We receive a lot of assistance from France, who have been very good to us. Even our coach is French.

"But there's no doubt more needs to be done to help countries such as ourselves.

"We are not rich and qualifying for the World Cup is a day the Georgian people will remember forever.

"It means so much to us and it's vital that the international rugby community doesn't forget about us."

Burdzgla's plea follows a warning from the chief executive of the Samoan RFU, Philipp Muller, that the Pacific Island teams are facing virtual 'extinction'.

"Without such support at least, the three Pacific Island unions will not be able to tour or to host visiting teams for Tests," he told BBC Sport Online.

"Without exposure to Test matches, these Island teams would lose all competitiveness, which in turn could spell their demise as early as the 2007 Rugby World Cup."

Despite such comments, the proposed inter-hemisphere match, which was scheduled to raise financial aid for the sport's poorest nations, has been indefinitely postponed.

The match attracted widespread criticism from international coaches and players unions, who threatened to boycott the contest.

The International Rugby Board, however, remains hopeful the match will go ahead.

Acting chairman Syd Millar has declared: "It promises to raise a great deal of money for a number of unions, which the Board has targeted as capable of bridging the gap with the leading nations of the world.

"It is regrettable that a postponement has become necessary."