The future now looks brighter for Cup in NZ

International Rugby Board chairman Syd Millar says there is no reason New Zealand cannot solely host a World Cup tournament again.

New Zealand's relationship with the IRB had been restored after the fallout from the cup sub-hosting fiasco last year, he said yesterday.

Millar disagreed with the perception that the cup had mushroomed into such a big event that smaller countries such as New Zealand could never hope to host it in their own right.

He said the cup was rugby's only "cash cow" and he expected this year's tournament, starting next week in Australia, to reap a profit of $135 million to $147 million.

"But it is not generated in that country. It's generated through world-renowned companies like Coca Cola and Visa that support the World Cup, and through television rights.

"If you can get the right commercial support, it's not impossible for a country of New Zealand's size to be sole hosts."

Millar said spreading the tournament over "two or three countries" - as the IRB has done in the past and intends to do in France 2007, with pool games in Scotland and Ireland - had "some merits in getting bums on seats and in helping to promote rugby in those countries."

"But the real money comes from sponsorship and TV rights.

"I'm not saying it couldn't come to New Zealand. But again, maybe we have to look outside the traditional rugby countries ...

"The world's a small place and people will travel.

"If we want to get the big bucks, maybe we have to look at that ... But we wouldn't preclude them [New Zealand] at all."

Millar, a former Irish and Lions prop, was deputy to late IRB chairman Vernon Pugh during the sub-hosting row.

He found it a harrowing experience because of his strong links with New Zealand.

"I've got relatives in New Zealand and I toured first to New Zealand with the 1959 Lions.

"I have a great respect for New Zealanders and New Zealand rugby, so it was a sad occasion for me.

"Some of the characters I played against in New Zealand were on the phone asking what was going on.

"It was not a very pleasant time, but the IRB has certain things that have to be applied.

"The action [New Zealand's loss of sub-host status and awarding the entire tournament to Australia] was taken unwillingly, but it had to be taken.

"Now let's look forward. Here we are with a World Cup tournament about to start and I think New Zealand are playing a brand of rugby that will enliven the event."

Meanwhile, Millar took issue with claims that the IRB is not helping developing countries such as the Pacific Island nations.

He said Fiji received $400,000 this year.

"We give them money and help in other ways, with coaching. So all this money does go around."

The IRB had to identify and target the countries below the top 10.

"We must look at what we can do to ensure that the likes of Romania, Fiji, Samoa and so on start to compete with the big boys."

Millar said he wanted a World Cup in which eight to 10 teams were capable of winning the title, "not the same two or three".

- NZPA

Full World Cup coverage