This season hasn’t gone any better for the 28-year-old and he has been on the treatment table since injuring his cruciate ligament in training with Edinburgh in September.

Godman has got the green light to begin running again but a return to action isn’t on the cards until May – the month that the Magners League will end and well after the RBS 6 Nations finishes.

That has left Godman, who has won 23 caps, searching for other options and he said: “I’d like to play for Edinburgh but only if that was realistic.

“And with the World Cup coming up I would have to have played game to be considered so I might go to the Southern Hemisphere.

“It was talked about when I got the injury and is being talked about now again. I have to look to the south to get games and I’ happy with that.

“In June and July the Scotland guys will be in camp doing fitness work and I will have done all of that and will need matches.

“I want to get back to playing for Scotland again and after missing the last World Cup I would to be part of this one.”