First Perth Bledisloe Cup sells out in six days

THE Wallabies might still be losing more games than they win but Rugby Australia’s bottom line is at least starting to look a little healthier and could get another major shot in the arm with the hosts for the 2021 women’s World Cup to be decided in less than two weeks.

After failing to sell out the Bledisloe Cup at home for the last decade, next year’s clash between the Wallabies and All Blacks has sold out in just six days. With Sydney unable to stage the Bledisloe Cup until at least 2021 while Allianz and ANZ Stadiums are being rebuilt, the first Bledisloe Cup match at Perth’s new 60,000seater Optus Stadium has already proven a runaway success with the “house full” sign going up even though the match isn’t until mid-August next year.

Rugby Australia is vying with New Zealand for the right to stage the women’s World Cup in the southern hemisphere for the first time and won’t have to wait long before finding out if its pitch is successful with the hosting decision to be made in Dublin on November 14.

And there could be even bigger news on the horizon for Rugby Australia with SANZAAR effectively agreeing to put its broadcast negotiations on hold while World Rugby explores the possibility of putting together a mega global deal that will drastically transform the game.

World Rugby has settled on a preferred model for a proposed new league of nations that will reshape the international game.

While the specific details of the recommended structure remain a closely guarded secret as negotiations with stakeholders continue behind closed doors, World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper told News Corp the key was being able to deliver a package of matches that counted to broadcasters.

Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle said there was no reason for SANZAAR to push ahead with its own plans for the Rugby Championship and Super Rugby until the bigger picture had been finalised.