THE Rugby World Cup kicks off tonight with England hosting Fiji at Twickenham and I cannot wait.

Now, I have to own up – I am not the most knowledgeable of rugby union fans but that doesn’t stop me relishing six weeks of top-class tournament action on the TV.

I suppose my lack of understanding of some aspects of the sport stem from the fact it was never on the agenda when I was at school.

Growing up in a region that is primarily a football one, the only real awareness of rugby was the league version – and even then it was not something we were taught or encouraged into at school where football and cricket were the dominant sports.

But leaving school and moving into sports journalism, has developed my interest in rugby union and, of course, England winning the World Cup back in 2003 only heightened that.

I also remember the atmosphere at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year when I went to watch the Rugby Sevens at Ibrox Stadium – now that is a tough sport.

Imagine playing five-a-side football on a full-size pitch!

So, while not as avid a fan as some, the prospect of the World Cup is an exciting one.

I would love to be attending a match – but the sizeable price of the tickets was a stretch to far for the finances and remortgaging the home was not an option.

It means I’ll be tuning in like most of the nation to ITV who are sure to have saturated coverage seeing as they have lost most of their other notable sporting rights.

It is a shame because the one international clash I have experienced in the flesh was a unique experience for someone so used to attending football matches.

It came back in 2002 when a friend managed to get me a ticket for England versus the old enemy Australia at Twickenham.

For a modern-day football fan, it was an eye-opener – supporters of both sides mingled and sat together in the stadium and beer was allowed in the seats while the game was going on. There was not a hint of it causing trouble either.

England went on to win a thriller 32-31 – just over a year before that World Cup triumph Down Under.

Even after the game, the fans congregated in bars together around the stadium to chew the fat and celebrate/drown their sorrows.

It is still the case to this day – it’s something unthinkable in football. Could anyone imagine Bolton and Blackburn fans drinking together peacefully after a derby at Ewood?

Maybe that says more about us tribal football fans than the game of rugby.

But wherever the allegiance lies in the next few weeks, it is another chance to enjoy a top-class world tournament on our doorstep and I am sure those fans visiting will just add to the party atmosphere around the respective grounds just like the football fans did in Euro ’96.

Bring it on, I say.