"Rugby is now a professional and world game," he said yesterday. "It has upped the standard. Rugby compares favourably with other major sports.
"If you compare this World Cup with big events in other sports, rugby wins hands down. You have pace, contact, huge skill, physical strength and guile."
McLauchlan, who was nicknamed Mighty Mouse in his playing days, has been impressed by the standard of play and the organisation of the World Cup.
"I have been to World Cups in South Africa [1995] and France [2007] and this one is already better," he said.
The president of the Scottish Rugby Union said the cup got off to a good start last weekend with several close games.
But he was not impressed by the All Blacks' win over Tonga.
"They kicked off quite badly and played within themselves," he said. "They played a naive game at times."
His best games from the first weekend were: France 47, Japan 21; South Africa 17, Wales 16.
"The Australian game against Italy was good until the Wallabies ran away with it at the end," he said.
The form of the minnow teams impressed McLauchlan.
"They are closing the gap between the top sides and the second-tier teams," he said.
He liked the standard of rugby but had a word for the referees.
"They have to be tougher against off-sides and on supposedly injured players who are slowing the game down," McLauchlan said. "The crowds want to see tempo and the game played at pace." He was disappointed by the Scottish performance against Romania.
"It was very bad for my heart," he said. "I thought they had blown their chance of winning.
"I was very upset at the way they played and thought their game was very naive."
He is confident that Scotland will lift its game in the next three rounds.
"They will probably play a different type of game against Georgia," he said. "The boys are fit so they should run the ball as much as possible. It is the aimless kicking that gets on my nerves."
He is adamant that Scotland will reach the quarterfinals.
"That is the minimum for them," he said. "They can reach the semis because they can beat any of the other teams."
McLauchlan does not think England is assured of a quarterfinal spot in pool B ahead of Scotland and Argentina.
"Are England going to get through by divine right?," he asked. "England are not a good side so why should they get through? We'll beat them."
McLauchlan's biggest regret was that there were no World Cups in his own playing days.
"I would have liked to have had a big wage packet as well," he said.
He last played in New Zealand during the Zingari-Richmond's clubs centenary celebrations in 1978 when his invitation team played games against Otago, Wellington and the New Zealand Barbarians.
McLauchlan was the guest speaker at an official function at the Zingari-Richmond clubrooms last night.
Ian McLauchlan
Mighty Mouse
Age: 69
Position: Prop.
Playing record: Scotland 1969-79 (43 caps), captain 19 tests; Lions 1971 (New Zealand) and 74 (South Africa), 8 caps.
Official position: President Scottish Rugby Union.