The International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s ruling Executive Committee have put forward rugby sevens and golf for inclusion in the 2016 Games and their decision is expected to be rubber-stamped next week by the full membership at its Session in Copenhagen.

Johnson, who captained England when they won the World Cup in Australia in 2003, has given his backing to the plan, which would see rugby union played in the Olympics for the first time since the Paris Games in 1924.

But he also made it clear that he did not believe it would ever replace the World Cup in terms of prestige and importance.

He said: "Obviously in 15-a-side rugby, the World Cup will remain the ultimate goal for players but in terms of sevens rugby, yes I think it would be great to see that at the Olympics.

"The Olympic Games is the biggest sporting event in the world and an Olympic gold medal is the pinnacle of an athlete’s career so it would be a fantastic for the rugby guys to have a chance to compete for that."

The International Rugby Board have promised the IOC that all the top players will be available for the Olympics and the sport will not suffer the problems that have put football's place in the Games under threat with Europe's leading clubs reluctant to release their top players.

Johnson said: "I’m sure I would release the players for an Olympic Games should that opportunity ever occur.

"Regardless of contracts, I think it would be very difficult to stop players competing if they had the chance to compete in the Olympic Games but there are still a lot of ifs at this stage."

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