The SRU were praised by the International Rugby Board for the handling of the tournament won by New Zealand in June.

Nearly 50,000 people watched the 30 games during the tournament and SRU chief executive Phil Anderton believes Scotland can play host to the worlds best in the near future.

He said: We set out at the beginning of this competition to deliver two things; the first was an operationally flawless tournament and the second was to attract record crowds and to increase the interest in the sport in Scotland.

"We feel that we achieved both goals and I am personally delighted.

We can now look to the future and consider bidding for the Rugby World Cup itself. We are extremely pleased that the International Rugby Board has commended us and I thank them for their comments.

The report, written by IRB Under-21 tournament director Gethin Jenkins, read: The success of this tournament has clearly demonstrated that the SRU has the ability to host world-class competitions and there is a general public with the appetite to view them.

The marketing and media promotion was unparalleled for a tournament of this nature and should be used as the model for future events.