Rugby: NZRU unhappy at late date for England test

The All Blacks are scheduled to play England on December 4 but the NZRU want it brought forward. Photo / Getty Images

The fear of burnout ahead of the World Cup has resulted in New Zealand rugby bosses frantically trying to change the date of their final test this year.

The All Blacks have long been scheduled to play Ireland, Wales and Scotland in November and have been chasing a game against England to make up a Grand Slam.

The English have announced that the game has been agreed - and will be played at Twickenham on December 4.

But the NZRU is unhappy with that date on two fronts. Not only does it mean the top players won't return home until mid-December but it also jeopardises their chances of arranging a lucrative fourth Bledisloe Cup test in Asia.

Under the IRB rotation, the All Blacks are due to play Scotland on November 13, Ireland on November 20 and Wales on November 27.

The NZRU had asked to play England on November 6, so they could look at playing Australia in Japan or Hong Kong on October 30. That would give them a similar tour to the one they undertook in 2008.

But as England had already committed to playing Australia, South Africa and Samoa, they opted to play the All Blacks on December 4.

"We have indicated that our preference would be to play that [England] game at the start of the tour," said NZRU head of professional rugby, Neil Sorensen.

"That would suit us better. In an ideal scenario, we would be able to get the players home earlier. With the Rugby World Cup in 2011, we want to get them home."

While there are no plans to replicate the conditioning window of 2007, the NZRU and All Black coaches are still keen to give their leading players the extended time to recover and prepare for 2011.

The late date for the England test also creates a problem with the Bledisloe as the Australians have agreed to play Wales on November 6.

That leaves the All Blacks a choice - they can either arrange a Bledisloe for October 30 and then try to find an opponent - possibly Italy or the Barbarians - for November 6 and then crack into the Grand Slam itinerary.

Or they will have to scrap the Bledisloe plans and begin the tour on November 13 in Edinburgh.

There is, however, reluctance to drop plans for another trip to Asia.

The games in Hong Kong and Tokyo have been financially worthwhile for the NZRU. It is believed they netted around $2.5 million from Hong Kong and slightly less from Tokyo.

As the game against England also falls outside the test window, they will demand a fee which in the past has been about £1.5 million ($3.3 million).

Negotiations with England and other countries are on-going.