Secret cup talks in Beijing

By WYNNE GRAY

Rugby chairman Murray McCaw made a clandestine flight to China to start a double-pronged move aimed at persuading the International Rugby Board that New Zealand should still sub-host the World Cup.

McCaw made his pitch to IRB chairman Vernon Pugh during the world sevens series in Beijing after being rebuffed in his attempts to meet Pugh last week in Sydney.

Information was sketchy yesterday.

The New Zealand Rugby Union confirmed the weekend meeting, but McCaw was reluctant to reveal much about his discussions.

"It was a private conversation and it is not appropriate to reveal details of that meeting," was his only comment.

The trip to Beijing was step one in diplomatic lobbying for the New Zealand union this week before delegate Rob Fisher travelled to an equally covert Rugby World Cup meeting in Newport.

Apart from those missions, the Herald understands the union has written to the IRB councillors who will vote on the cup dispute at their meeting on April 12 in Dublin.

It is also understood Governments have been contacted to ask if they can lean on their national rugby unions.

Since McCaw and chief executive David Rutherford criticised the IRB and Pugh for the breakdown in negotiations about hosting the cup, there has not been any communication between the New Zealand union and the IRB.

New Zealand's only contact came when Sports Minister Trevor Mallard made a rushed trip last week to Sydney.

He met Pugh when the IRB chairman broke from his World Cup talks with the Australian Rugby Union.

The message Mallard brought home was that New Zealand still had a chance to retain its sub-host status.

After he delivered that report, RWCL came out defending Pugh against the criticism from New Zealand with a statement signed by every director except Fisher.

"These criticisms, many of which have been very personal, have suggested that Mr Pugh has been acting unilaterally and without authority," it said. "We wish to make clear that these criticisms are without foundation, and were in any case totally inappropriate, especially so given the efforts which had been made and are continuing to be made to find a solution."

Asked last Friday if he was considering a mercy mission to meet Pugh when he moved to Beijing, McCaw said it was an option. He had to assess its value alongside Fisher's trip to RWC.

McCaw flew out late on Saturday night, apparently with an appointment to meet Pugh at his hotel.

McCaw and Fisher, who returned from his trip early yesterday, spent most of the day in a scheduled NZRFU board meeting. They were to brief the board about their efforts to derail the likely IRB vote against New Zealand being retained as the cup sub-host.

No details were available about the board discussions, nor would McCaw offer details about his trip.

There was no comment about who had arranged his meeting with Pugh, its duration, value or whether McCaw had apologised to the IRB chairman.

The IRB is to release another statement today after the midweek meeting with the Australian union, which unveiled its strategies if confirmed as sole World Cup host.