Rugby: Germany in hunt for ABs

The All Blacks have a firm offer to play a Bledisloe Cup test in Hong Kong next year and are also being courted by the German Rugby Union to play in Hamburg.

Other proposals are also on the table, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi having touted their interest to host the All Blacks and Miami a potential venue for a clash with Argentina.

It is the Hong Kong proposition that is likely to be pursued most vigorously in the immediate future, as the venue proved highly lucrative for the New Zealand Rugby Union last year.

The All Black defeat of the Wallabies in Hong Kong is believed to have seen both sides split close to about $6 million.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said that both New Zealand and Australia have strategic aims in Asia and, having already played in Hong Kong, there is a major attraction in returning.

Tokyo, just a week after hosting its first Bledisloe test, is also believed to be determined to bring both sides back, either next year or in 2012.

Tew said the match in Tokyo achieved all its commercial aims but was not as lucrative as the 2008 test in Hong Kong. However, the merchandising activity in Japan was through the roof, with adidas reporting a revenue jump of 20 million yen ($305,000) over the weekend.

They had based their expectation on the 4 million yen ($61,000) they made when Italian football giants AC Milan recently played in Tokyo.

"We have a firm offer from Hong Kong," said Tew. "It is highly possible we could go back there next year."

The NZRU's strategic aim is to grow the All Black brand in untapped Asian markets.

"I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that we could be playing a test in mainland China in the next five years," said Tew.

The union has studied how the NFL and NBA have grown the popularity of their sports by playing outside the US.

The NFL played a championship game in London this year and will do so again. The NBA allowed China free broadcast rights 10 years ago to expose their sport to the market.

Such thinking is also in play in rugby circles. Sanzar executives are looking at means to have more footage of their games made available to digital media outlets to help grow Super 15 and Tri Nations in non-traditional rugby countries.

Playing a test in Germany would be a mechanism to expose the All Blacks to a non-rugby nation. Tew said he has talked to German officials.

"I think it would be stretching to say we have a firm offer. But those venues with vision can see the value in having the All Blacks play."

Rugby has a growing profile in Germany and the country has excellent stadia, having hosted the football World Cup in 2006.

Tew said the NZRU has a long-term vision to play tests at neutral tests as long as they don't place excessive demands on the players and stretch the All Blacks to the point they can't sustain their winning legacy.

A test in Miami against the Pumas is thought to be a strong possibility after the World Cup, as is a test against England in Dubai.