"We are still absolutely committed to looking at international opportunities," said Scudamore in the News of the World.

"Are we absolutely committed to the idea and format we talked about last February? No, because we said we'd take a year to look at it and we're still looking at it.

"Game 39 was the book end and everything back from that is worth exploring.

"The idea of playing a league game abroad still has to be a possibility, but whether it happens in my lifetime, who knows?

"But if we don't, others will. It happens in other sports, like the NFL and baseball.

"We could be over-taken by other nations. We're strong at the minute, but there are opportunities we must look at."