Passion the key to winning Rugby World Cup bid, says PM

Helen Clark (left) and Nelson Mandela.

Helen Clark has dismissed talk that New Zealand's bid to host the 2011 World Cup is its last chance to snare the tournament.

The Prime Minister, who leaves for Ireland this week to help promote the bid, said New Zealand did have the capacity to host a World Cup, despite its small size.

"This is a very credible bid. At some stage those who make credible bids have to have a chance of being seriously considered.

"One goes in the hope that that will be this time for us."

New Zealand is considered the underdog to win the rights to host the tournament for the first time since staging and winning the inaugural Cup in 1987.

Both Japan and South Africa are thought to have commercially more lucrative proposals, with Japan also able to argue that sending the tournament to Asia will expand the sport globally.

New Zealand is disadvantaged by its small stadiums and a time zone not fancied by international television viewers and advertisers.

With the International Rugby Board (IRB) earning the bulk of its revenue through World Cups, the likely income will almost certainly outweigh sentimentality in Friday's IRB Council vote in Dublin.

Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs has already admitted that escalating costs mean it will become increasingly difficult for smaller nations to host a World Cup.

While Helen Clark will be in Dublin for New Zealand's formal presentation, with Colin Meads and Tana Umaga, South Africa is expected to roll out former President Nelson Mandela.

The NZRFU has thanked supporters of its bid, and Hobbs said yesterday it had delivered on its promise of making a compelling bid.

It also launched an advertisement saying "win or lose", New Zealand had given the bid its best shot.

Helen Clark said the IRB had assessed New Zealand's proposal for staging rugby's showcase as the "safest" of the three rivals, and had recognised that the Lions tour had been a success.

"Going into this World Cup bid we have to recognise that New Zealand is a very small country up against much larger countries.

"Particularly Japan, with a huge GDP and private sector resources to put on the table for sponsorship of a Cup bid. South Africa also is many times our size."

She said that had made it critical for the bid to clearly come from "New Zealand Incorporated", with the NZRFU having the clear backing of the Government.

She would go to Dublin to demonstrate the Government's backing.

"The case will rest on New Zealand being the world's most passionate rugby nation.

"I will be pointing out that small countries with this kind of passion for the game should every so often get the opportunity to host."

The Government has promised $20 million towards a fund of at least $30 million for the bid and ongoing costs if the proposal succeeds, but Budget figures show that contribution could rise to $70 million.

The cost of staging the event has not been released by the NZRFU.