10 March 2002

It is important that New Zealand does host the Rugby World Cup so that New Zealanders can have the opportunity to see the games played live, National Leader Bill English said today.

"It is hard to understand why some small issues are getting in the way of New Zealand staging games in the hugely successful Rugby World Cup.

"I can see why the Rugby Union has dug in on this complicated issue and I, along with the wider public, share their frustration. In the end rugby fans are only interested in watching rugby and not all the legal technicalities that go with it.

"There needs to be a solution found so that New Zealand can be a World Cup host. Many New Zealand rugby fans won't be able to afford to go to Australia to watch All Black games or other World Cup games. It would be unfair if they were not given the opportunity.

"It is hard to believe the Cup will be a better commercial success in the Australian market when there are hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders who will want to go to the World Cup games," Mr English said.

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