All Blacks get World Cup rules head start

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A secret meeting has handed the All Blacks and their southern hemisphere neighbours a big on-field advantage before the Rugby World Cup is staged in New Zealand next year.

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen and coaches from rugby's nine other top-tier nations met behind closed doors in Dublin last week.

Their aim was to decide what the game's politicians couldn't – what rules will be used in international rugby for the next 18 months.

And the good news, from a Kiwi perspective, is that the current "interpretations" being used in this year's Super 14 have now been set in stone.

IRB chief executive Mike Miller confirmed the news when approached by the Sunday Star-Times.

Miller said: "The rugby world is on the same page again. There is no north-south split as some suggested there would be. This is great news for the game."

Miller had reason to be upbeat.

The IRB conducted an exhaustive consultation phase during the ill-fated experimental law variation test period last year.

Both hemispheres adopted some and not others, which led to great confusion and politicking as nations jockeyed to enshrine laws which suited their style.

This latest and successful attempt to reach a compromise was deliberately not publicised for fear of a PR-war.

Miller said the coaches – representing the Six Nations teams, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina – discussed the matter and came to an agreement in less than a day. IRB referees boss Paddy O'Brien was also present.

None of the coaches has coached under the new interpretations yet. And now it will be over to O'Brien to bring up to speed the referees he will use in internationals later this year.

Wales, Ireland and England will get their first taste of the rule interpretations in June when they arrive on these shores.

And Miller's sentiments were echoed by All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith, who anticipated the move a week ago.

"It's a relief," he said. "We needed certainty. We now have it."

Smith and others will also be glad to learn that a new framework has been set which clears the way for the re-introduction of international tours.

The test schedule for the next 10 years was settled at a different meeting in Dublin involving administrators such as NZRU chief executive Steve Tew.

And the June window that has generally featured a one-off and two test series against sides from the Six Nations will, from 2012, feature just the one side which will play three tests plus mid-week games.

Miller said: "Interest has been flat in the June window and we needed to spark some. We think this is the best way to do that."

- © Fairfax NZ News