Wellington The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has until the end of the month to decide whether to bid to stage the 2011 World Cup. Chief executive Chris Moller said the union would make a decision by then. South Africa, Japan and New Zealand have so far expressed interest in hosting the 2011cup. New Zealand's determination to stage the cup has increased after the NZRU debacle which cost the country any chance of jointly hosting the 2003 event with Australia. However, it is understood the union hasn't moved towards a firm bid to stage the 2011 cup because it hasn't got the Government support it has been looking for. "We've always been very clear that we believe that a national stadium is going to be required (to host the cup)," Moller told NZPA. "I'm on record as saying that on many occasions, probably a stadium in the order of (capacity) 70,000 odd. "It's not unusual for bids to be placed for sporting events and stadiums to be built in the interim. That's very standard practice for the Olympics. "To achieve a national stadium to host a World Cup we need Government support ? so it's all the same news. "Obviously we're a small country, a relatively small economy, we don't generate the wealth other countries around the world do, so that makes it more challenging but not impossible for us to consider putting in a bid." South Africa, who hosted and won the '95 cup, already have staff working to launch a strong bid for the 2011 cup. South African bid committee chief executive Francois Pienaar said Japan had also expressed an interest in bidding for the event. He said January 31 was the deadline for bidders to confirm their intentions with the International Rugby Board (IRB) and put down a non-refundable deposit of £25,000 ($67,500). Though New Zealand had a strong "rugby pedigree", its bid was commercially not very strong, and there was a rumour it would not put down the deposit, he said.-NZPA
