Wallabies threaten Cup boycott

AUSTRALIA’S players have announced they may consider boycotting the Rug

The news is an embarrassing blow to organisers of the tournament, which starts in Sydney on 10 October.

All player agreements must be submitted to World Cup chiefs by the end of July.

But Australian number eight, Toutai Kefu, says the current impasse could lead to more drastic action.

"As it stands at the moment, I probably wouldn't sign," he said yesterday.

"We had a meeting with International Rugby Players Association (IRPA) chairman Tony Dempsey in Brisbane last week. There were seven or eight of the senior players.

"Basically, the players don't think it's fair," the Wallaby added.

Players within the Australian Rugby Union enjoy the best conditions of any rugby players in the world, argued its chief executive John O'Neill.

The ARU is determined to pay its players bonuses rather than the prize money demanded by the International Rugby Players' Association.

O'Neill insists bonuses will be "substantially greater" than the A$30,000 (£12,000) each player received for winning the 1999 World Cup.

And he warned the IRPA which is unhappy with the current agreement which also forces players to sign over intellectual property rights for nothing to stop interfering in the dispute.

"We've had 12 meetings with the Australian players' union the RUPA and we've been sequentially working through those issues including the bonus payments," O'Neill said.

"This IRPA entity is an interloper. It hasn't got a role in this.

"The sort of issues the IRPA is throwing up about prize money is an unadulterated attempt at making a hero of itself by creating prize money.

"Players within the ARU enjoy the best conditions of any rugby players in the world. They will receive very generous bonus payments for success in the World Cup," he added.

Meanwhile, Wales coach Steve Hansen has named three uncapped players in his 30-man squad for next month's Test matches against Australia and New Zealand Down Under.

Leeds back row forward Alex Popham and Neath prop Adam Jones have won call-ups, but perhaps the biggest surprise is recognition for Bath's Gareth Delve.

Delve, who can play back row or second row, has hardly featured for Bath this season because of injury, but he now gets his Wales opportunity.

Hansen has omitted several players who filled varying roles during this season's RBS Six Nations campaign, when Wales lost all five games.