In a major turnaround, the International Rugby Board has said that New Zealand is an option to stage another Rugby World Cup tournament.

The successful 2011 tournament, won by the All Blacks, was largely accepted as the last time the country would host rugby's showpiece, with any future bids likely only as a junior partner to Australia.

But the new chief executive of the IRB, Brett Gosper, told the Sunday Star-Times during a visit to New Zealand that he believes a repeat sole hosting is a viable option.

Gosper's predecessor, Mike Miller, had warned prior to the 2011 tournament that the new economic model around the World Cup would likely preclude New Zealand bidding on a sole basis again.

But Gosper rejected that status.

"No, no, not at all," he said to suggestions the country's days as a sole host were over. "I think it will take a while to come back to New Zealand, you've had it twice, and we've only had seven tournaments.

"It will happen, though it won't happen over the next few World Cups for sure.

"The World Cup was brilliant here. It refilled the reserves we spend on the game, so Rugby World Cup is in a great position as we head towards 2015 in England which will be, I think, record-breaking in all, if not most, criteria.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew hailed it as their best year since 2005.
The union's 121st annual meeting in Wellington yesterday was told of a $3.2 million operating surplus, its first since 2008, and $51.9m in cash reserves.
Performances on and off the field moved Tew to liken it to the year when New Zealand hosted the British and Irish Lions, and secured World Cup hosting rights.
"It's right up there with 2005 which was then called by the chairman at the time, Mr [Jock] Hobbs, as an extraordinary year," he said.
Tew acknowledged that some provincial unions were still struggling.

The New Zealand Rugby Union is hailing 2012 as its best year since the British and Irish Lions last toured in 2005.
They have given themselves a mark of 87 from 100 on their personal scorecard, marking on and off field results in six key areas.
It comes after a near-unbeaten year for the All Blacks and a $3.2 million surplus announced last month.
It is great to back up the success of the 2011 World Cup with this result.
All Blacks legend Sir Brian Lochore is the new patron of the organisation, replacing the late Sir Wilson Whineray.
Sir Brian's former team-mate Ian McRae is the new president.

Tier one nations won't be given a cushy schedule at the next Rugby World Cup in England and Wales in 2015.
International Rugby Board chief executive Brett Gosper confirmed today that the next global tournament will see teams given equal breaks between pool matches, a stark contrast to previous events.
At the 2011 edition, host nation New Zealand were given seven or eight days between their Pool A matches, while Tonga played three games in 12 days and then had to endure a 10-day break before their final Pool A match.
Samoa was also hit hard as they played their four Pool D games in 16 days, while South Africa had 19 days and Wales 21.
The draw for the 2015 event is likely to be released within the next month and Gosper said it would be an equitable arrangement.
Given the tournament window is from September 18 to October 31 in 2015, it seems likely that sides will have around four to five days between their pool matches.

MORE than 600,000 New Zealanders - almost 15 per cent of the Long White Cloud - are living in Australia on temporary visas.
Many kiwis are moving to Australia for their work. But they still love when the All Blacks defeat the Wallabies. The All Blacks is New Zealand’s only hope for getting kiwis to stay in New Zealand.

Steve Hansen has been confirmed as the man to lead the All Blacks through the next Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) today announced Hansen had been reappointed to the position of All Blacks Head Coach.
Hansen, who was initially appointed All Blacks Head Coach last year on a two-year contract, will now coach the All Blacks through to Rugby World Cup 2015.
"He had an outstanding first year as Head Coach and his coaching and leadership helped the team build on its exceptional legacy: the team won 12 of their 14 Test matches last year, won the Steinlager Series and Investec Rugby Championship and retained the Bledisloe Cup, as well as their number one world ranking,” said Steve Tew.
The New Zealand All Blacks goal is to win back to back world cups.

http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/hansen-locked-in-cup-defence-video-5401849

A leading security consultant believes the Jesse Ryder incident shouldn't stop high-profile sportspeople socializing in public.
Jayson Ryan's company, Ryan Security, has provided security services to the All Blacks since 2004. He's also worked with the Black Caps and assisted the All Whites during a tour to Jordan before the 2010 World Cup finals.
Ryan has been a security industry operative for two decades and for years ran match-day security at Lancaster Park.
He's worked in some hotspots around the world and reckons "99 per cent" of New Zealanders are "very respectful" of sports stars and celebrities.
"They've got good security and are run by good operators. That's the sort of thing we'd look for when we are sending our people out. We're looking for the well-run establishments with good facilities in place and have good people running the establishment. You know they are of genuine standing.
In a sports-obsessed nation of 4.5 million, New Zealand's top athletes effectively live in a goldfish bowl, especially the All Blacks, who have the highest domestic profile.
Jonah Lomu, the All Black with the greatest overseas profile, had to travel to the United States to get the anonymity he craved. Richie McCaw is probably experiencing the same freedom now on his extended OE which has taken him so far to the US and Sri Lanka, hardly rugby hotbeds.
Anton Oliver quipped upon becoming All Blacks captain in 2001 that he didn't expect to be hassled about his new-found status by his fellow Otago University undergraduates because students were too cool to bother an All Black on campus.
But sportspeople now are no different to their predecessors. Most still like to go out for an after-match ale to nightspots where other young people are present.
The difference between now and the amateur era is the bars are open much later so the potential for confrontation is greater. And in the social media age, any incident, serious or trivial, involving a high-profile sportsperson or celebrity, rapidly becomes public.
So risk management becomes important. That's where people like Jayson Ryan step in.
He's worked with the All Blacks for 10 seasons now, since the new management regime headed by Graham Henry and Darren Shand came in, in 2004.
The All Blacks management have talked openly about changing the drinking culture in the group while still treating players as adults and allowing them to celebrate when appropriate.
If an All Black crosses the line, there are repercussions. Outside backs Israel Dagg and Corey Jane were roundly rebuked by management after being caught drinking in a Takapuna bar 72 hours before the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal. Senior halfback Piri Weepu went out to fetch them and order them back to the team hotel.
The team's senior leadership group basically decides whether the players will go out publicly after a test match and where they can go.
That's based on information provided by Ryan and his staff, who scout potential venues to make sure they're safe environments.
Security staff will go out with groups of All Blacks.
Players are taught to look out for certain things when they enter an establishment, to find out where the exits are and know how they can get out of a place so you're not going to get caught up in any trouble.
Most people approaching a sportsperson in public want to pat them on the back and rub shoulders with them.

A changed focus in Japan to hook rugby's big fish is behind an alteration of direction at the departure gates for New Zealand players.

Former All Black Craig Innes is not surprised to see an expanding number of elite players leave for Japan rather than Europe, where the economic downturn and heavy demands of top French and United Kingdom clubs are seen as less attractive.

This week Anthony Boric became the ninth member of the 2011 World Cup-winning All Blacks squad to sign with a Japanese club, following Jerome Kaino, Sonny Bill Williams, Richard Kahui and Adam Thomson.

Most observers will be putting New Zealand up as strong favorites to win the pool; they are right to do so. The All Blacks are the far and away leaders in the standings. Canada pushed them hard in Las Vegas, but was missing the likes of DJ Forbes then. Don’t put it past Canada to pull an upset, but finishing second in the group is most realistic.


Schedule:
It’s a sixteen-hour time difference between Vancouver and Tokyo, so the first game on Saturday in Tokyo kicks off on what is actually Friday evening on the West Coast.
Canada vs Japan 8:34 p.m. PST (Friday)
Canada vs France 12:41 a.m. PST (Saturday)
Canada vs New Zealand 3:47 a.m. PST (Saturday)

2013 Domestic Tests

8 June, France, Eden Park, Auckland
15 June, France, AMI (Addington) Stadium, Christchurch
22 June, France, Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
24 August, Australia, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
7 September, Argentina, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
14 September, South Africa, Eden Park, Auckland
19 October, Australia, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

All Blacks Sevens

HSBC Sevens World Series 2012-2013
1-2 February, 2013; Hertz Wellington Sevens, New Zealand
8-10 February, 2013; Las Vegas, USA
22-24 March, 2013; Hong Kong
30-31 March, 2013; Tokyo, Japan
4-5 May, 2013; Glasgow, Scotland
11-12 May, 2013; London, England
28-30 June, 2013; IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens, Moscow, Russia

New Zealand Women's Sevens

IRB Women's Sevens World Series
1-2 February, 2013; Texas, USA
30-31 March, 2013; Guangzhou, China
17-18 May, 2013; Amsterdam, Netherlands
28-30 June, 2013; IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens, Moscow, Russia