Will Carling has hit out at plans by South Africa and Australia to form a new Tri-Nations series with England.
The former England captain believes facing the Wallabies and Springboks in a new annual autumn tournament would have disastrous consequences for the European game and the idea is motivated purely by money.
Carling feels the World Cup would be diminished and club rugby and the developing nations, as well as the other Six Nations countries, would suffer as a result.
Carling told the London Evening Standard: "Since the current England team could well be the best ever, it is no surprise that the southern hemisphere want our players added to the menu. In financial terms, Europe is world rugby's main dish.
"The Tri-Nations tournament in the southern hemisphere - between South Africa, Australia and New Zealand - is in danger of becoming stale.
"The appeal of having the same teams running out against each other every year has lost much of its sparkle for everyone - including television and sponsors.
"These countries now want to raid the lucrative European market, but this will have serious implications for future World Cups, the expansion of the game worldwide and the Six Nations Championship.
"Just for once, I hope northern hemisphere rugby chiefs will not allow themselves to be railroaded and have the bottle to tell the south to "sod off!".
"Playing a major southern hemisphere nation should be something to savour - not the sort of run-of-the-mill fixture that you can pick up again in 12 months if you miss it this time round. The end result would be boring rugby that would seriously hurt the world game."
The prospect of a new tournament surfaced earlier this week when Australian Rugby Union managing director John O'Neill claimed the subject was "on the agenda".
The Rugby Football Union however claimed they had not received any proposals although it that is understood low-key informal discussions might have taken place.
O'Neill was quoted as saying that a full proposal will be put before the International Rugby Board in due course with the hope of the triangular series beginning in 2004.