Rugby World Cup

Hosts England and Six Nations champions Wales paid a heavy price for the November defeats that sent them tumbling them down the rankings when they were put in a tough pool with Australia in the draw for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Rugby World Cup organisers have promised a fairer deal for the smaller countries at the 2015 tournament in England following the widespread condemnation of the unbalanced playing schedule last year in New Zealand.

New Zealand's unemployment rate unexpectedly rose in the third quarter, with little evidence the start of the Rugby World Cup drove an increase in casual workers to service the wave of tourists.

Wales captain Sam Warburton admits referee Alain Rolland was right to send him off in the Rugby World Cup semifinals loss to France for a tackle that was "uglier" than he first thought.

Standout French No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy has let fly at the team's World Cup coach, at the same time  having a crack at All Black captain Richie McCaw and Cup final referee Craig Joubert.

Telecom has pulled out of its "no sex over the rugby World Cup" campaign, saying it had misjudged public reaction.

Rugby World Cup ticket sales have reached almost 90 percent of the organisers' target, a month out from kick-off, boosted by the All Blacks' Bledisloe Cup win over the Wallabies at the weekend.

World leaders are lining up to attend the Rugby World Cup, but British Prime Minister David Cameron is unlikely to visit unless England makes the final.

Rugby World Cup organisers say there are actually two William Webb Ellis Cups, and that the one that toured the country last month was one of them.

Lock James Horwill has been named as the Wallabies captain for next month's Rugby World Cup after the team's 30-man squad was announced today.