Brett Gosper says the IRB is weighing up a series of preventative measures ahead of the World Cup © Getty Images

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The International Rugby Board is weighing up whether to ban players from using mobile phones on matchdays during Rugby World Cup 2015 as a preventative measure against match-fixing.

Reports in the French press on Monday said the IRB was considering bringing in the measure to combat any risk of match-fixing in next year's showpiece and CEO Brett Gosper said it is just one of many options the governing body is weighing up.

Gosper said: "The Rugby World Cup board is generally looking at the whole area of the integrity of sport, whether it be gambling and anti-doping, is an issue for all sports and like all other sports we're looking at options in terms of what can be the right protocols to ensure that there might not be issues that can lead to gambling.

"That's on the table to be investigated, we haven't yet made a call. We're comparing some of the protocols in other sports and we will make a call on it in the next few months. No decision has been taken.

"We don't want to apply anything that's overly draconian or doesn't take into account the normal way players use their phones but to a certain extent we have to ensure we are not taking any risks in the gambling area."

Last February the IRB issued a directive saying players were banned from betting on any form of the game and while Alan Gilpin, Head of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, does not believe match-fixing to be a concern for the game at present, he says it is right the stakeholders in the game stay on top of any future risk.

Gilpin said: "It is good to put those markers down to let everyone involved at the game know that we are looking at those issues so that we are taking preventative measures rather than waking up one day during the World Cup wondering what happened.

"The use of mobile phones is under consideration. It is about being appropriate. Finding the right balance between taking the right steps to protect the integrity of the tournament and the sport but not doing anything that is over-draconian."