Pugh to tell all on World Cup

By WYNNE GRAY

International Rugby Board chairman Vernon Pugh has agreed to reveal his version of events and the background behind New Zealand losing its rights to sub-host next year's World Cup.

Pugh and the independent inquiry head, Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, have both been in Fiji this week, but their business commitments did not allow them time to meet.

"We hoped it could have been here, but he is in Suva and I am in Nadi and we could not arrange a time and a place," Pugh told the Herald.

There would be no time next week, as Pugh hosts the World Cup launch for 300 guests at the Sydney Opera House on Monday before returning home.

"However, Sir Thomas indicated he may come up to Europe, and if that is the case we will help him out then."

Whatever the difficulties, Pugh wanted to co-operate with the investigation set up by the New Zealand Rugby Union at their first meeting after Australia was declared sole host of the World Cup.

He had also arranged for senior IRB staff to sort through the paper trail about the World Cup and provide written evidence for the inquiry.

Documents that held commercially confidential details would have to be screened or have parts withheld, otherwise there would be generous IRB compliance.

The Australian Rugby Union has also indicated it will assist the inquiry, but will deliver its summary in written form.

If Sir Thomas had further questions, the union would also answer in writing.

"We have a number of questions about the inquiry," Pugh said, "and do not think there should be a review of the entire RWC, but believe it should be topic specific.

"In looking at who's to blame, there might not be too much benefit, but if it is a fact-finding operation then it will be beneficial."

The IRB chairman confirmed that his deputy, Rob Fisher, had resigned from Rugby World Cup Ltd because he could not support the final recommendation that Australia be sole World Cup host.

"It was not an easy time for him," Pugh said.

Although Pugh and other members of the IRB have been in Fiji this week discussing the particular problems of rugby throughout the Pacific Islands, other staff have been in Sydney finalising World Cup commercial deals to be revealed on Monday.

The catering deal for the World Cup had not been decided, according to Pugh. Once host arrangements changed, the contenders were asked to re-tender, and that contract was still unsigned.

Pugh said his tour of the Pacific had been "an eye-opener."

He and his colleagues had received a lot of information about how players were spirited away to play elsewhere without compensation.

"The major asset in the islands is the players. That is the very strong impression we have got, but many are not on contracts."

New Zealand and Australia had taken advantage of that, and it might be that some sort of player development fee should be paid instead.

That was one of the ideas discussed at the lengthy conferences Pugh and his cohorts had with officials from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

The idea of former test players such as Eroni Clarke, Dylan Mika or Andrew Blowers getting a dispensation to play international rugby again for an island nation after some stand-down time was considered.

That proposal would be re-tabled at the next meeting of the IRB council.

The All Blacks' test against Fiji was originally scheduled to be played in the island nation in September.

However, it made commercial sense to play the game in Wellington on June 29 because Fiji could not generate much domestic money. The net proceeds would now be given to the island nation.

All Black manager Andrew Martin said a Pacific Barbarians test had been planned for that date, but when that trip was canned, the Fiji game was brought forward.

"It was always on the IRB tours and tournaments schedule in an unusual place for later in the year."

Pugh felt that another controversial fundraising game for the Pacific, the Northern v Southern Hemisphere match at Cardiff on November 30, would go ahead, despite opposition from global players' associations.

The ground, sponsors and broadcasting rights had been organised, and Pugh believed the players would change their opinions.

Such a game would fit neatly into Northern Hemisphere schedules, and he was sure it would not push Southern Hemisphere players beyond any limit of games they were supposed to play each season.