New Zealand rugby authorities played down reports today they were threatening to delay the draw for next year's World Cup because they had refused to change the date of their own domestic championship.
The draw is set for March 12th in Sydney but Australian newspapers claim they could become the sole hosts if New Zealand fails to accept the International Rugby Board's demands to move the National Provincial Championship (NPC) from its traditional October-November dates to avoid a clash.
IRB media manager Chris Rea said today no deadline had been issued. "But, of course, Rugby World Cup Ltd, the holding company for the competition, would appreciate NZRFU making up its mind as quickly as possible," he added.
New Zealand makes around $20 million NZ dollars (€10 million approx) annually out of NPC.
New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) chief executive David Rutherford said it was just a matter of working through some "commercial matters" and New Zealand was not at risk of losing rights to co-host the event.
"We are confident of resolution on the NPC matters provided a reasonable approach is taken all round," Rutherford said.
"It's interesting that we hear of these issues through the Australian media before the IRB communications arrive," he added.
Australian and New Zealand rugby authorities have been at logger-heads since the Kiwis vetoed plans to enlarge the Super 12 provincial championship to 14 teams, giving Australia and South Africa one extra team each.
AFP