New Zealand to use tour to stake claim to host World Cup

NEW ZEALAND will use the Grand Slam tour of the northern hemisphere to stake a claim to hosting the 2011 World Cup.

The inaugural tournament was held in New Zealand and, as expected, the All Blacks became the first champions. Since then, the tournament has taken place in Britain and Ireland, South Africa, Britain and Ireland and Australia, with France as the 2007 hosts.

New Zealand missed out on acting as part hosts for the 2003 World Cup because they were unable to convince the International Rugby Board of an ability to piece together a satisfactory financial package.