Japanese puzzled by Cup challenge

The Japanese Rugby Union president, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, says he is puzzled by reports that the Asian Rugby Union is trying to undermine New Zealand's staging of the 2011 World Cup.

Meanwhile New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller, who has labelled the reports "scurrilous", remains unfazed by the developments of the past 24 hours.

In November, New Zealand won the rights to the 2011 event, edging out more fancied opponents South Africa and Japan.

But on Sunday a British newspaper reported that the International Rugby Board (IRB) had received a letter from British legal firm Addleshaw Goddard challenging the legitimacy of the ballot.

The letter said the Asian Union insisted on a new vote because the ballot had lacked transparency.

It was also alleged that New Zealand had made a deal with Irish officials to send the All Blacks to Ireland to mark the future opening of a redeveloped Landsdowne Rd ground, in return for votes.

Sunday Times rugby writer Stephen Jones reported that the letter contained an ultimatum that the new vote should take place by March 31 - "to minimise damage to the sport" - or legal action would be taken.

The IRB immediately responded, ruling out another vote.

Quentin Smith, head of Addleshaw Goddard's Sports Business Group, told the Sunday Times his firm was approached by the Asian union's president, Mohan Balasuriya of Sri Lanka.

"We are absolutely clear that our instructions have come from the highest level of the ARU," Mr Smith said.

Countries in the Asian union include Japan, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan.

But Japanese union head Mr Mori told the Herald yesterday that the newspaper report had surprised him.

"This did not come from Japan. It is the Asian Rugby Union, so I have to know more about it."

He questioned why Japan was being implicated in the legal challenge.

Mr Mori said he supported New Zealand's staging of the World Cup.

Mr Moller said the two concerns the NZRFU had as a result of the report had been cleared up. The IRB had given an assurance that a new vote would not take place and the NZRFU had refuted the false accusations of the deal with Ireland.