Southern and northern hemisphere clashing over starting date of 2015 Rugby World Cup

Southern hemisphere officials have rejected the IRB's proposal to start the 2015 Rugby World Cup on September 5, telling their northern counterparts there is no way the newly unveiled Rugby Championship can be shortened.

A month after New Zealand threatened to boycott the next World Cup and IRB boss Mike Miller retorted they were replaceable, the scheduling drama continues to divide north and south.

The RFU in England, hosting the event, and their French counterparts are resisting cuts to their respective domestic tournaments and have pushed for the September 5 kick-off. If the IRB tries to force SANZAR's hand, the southerners will be seeking millions in compensation for lost revenue.

"We would like a date of September 25, no earlier," SANZAR boss Greg Peters said.

"It's a live topic at the moment among southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere countries, we've set our calendar, we've had conferences with the IRB where they've said the starting date of the World Cup shouldn't impact on major rugby competitions.

"The question is, if it does, how do they compensate?"

Tuesday's unveiling of the Rugby Championship, introducing Argentina to Tri Nations, is the biggest development for southern Test rugby since the inception of the Tri Nations in 1996 and ARU boss John O'Neill made it clear that it will not be compromised.

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