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Bledisloe Cup test could be played in US
By GREG FORD - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 24 August 2008
Bledisloe Cup test could be played in US - New Zealand's source for sport, rugby, cricket & league news on Stuff.co.nz
First it was Hong Kong, now it appears the Bledisloe Cup is headed stateside.
The New Zealand Rugby Union confirmed yesterday it was "in dialogue" with the United States Rugby Union and "may" stage one of next year's Bledisloe Cup matches against Australia in the US.
Although the concept is in its genesis, the old Mile High Stadium site in Denver, Colorado, where the US Rugby headquarters is based, has been designated as the likely venue. The NZRU recently started a formal relationship with the US union as the US is a market it's keen to tap into.
NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said: "We're looking at a number of possibilities [for next year's Bledisloe Cup]. Denver is one of them. But as I said, we're in the very early stages.
"It would be wrong to say we're planning a test there. That would be going too far. But it's fair to say we're looking at it. But before we make any decision we need to ascertain whether it is viable first. It has to stack up. There has to be a genuine reason for being there."
One reason would be money. A match in the US could generate some serious cash. Rugby is a fledgling sport in the US but the All Blacks brand has a solid following and would prove a drawcard as it's proving for this year's Hong Kong Bledisloe fixture.
Tew confirmed that match is all but sold out and if next year's Bledisloe in the US were equally as popular, test matches in the US could become a regular part of the landscape.
Tew said there was an appetite for big tests on foreign territory and the Australian Rugby Union was keen to take a game to Tokyo next year, which could supplant the fixture in Denver. An All Blacks' match against Ireland in New York or Boston has also been talked about.