Australia will today be awarded the sole rights to stage next year's World Cup, after two days of intense politicking at the International Rugby Board's council meeting in Dublin ended with the New Zealand union backing down from a high court action.

The council debated a proposal on Tuesday from Rugby World Cup Ltd to strip New Zealand of its sub-host status because of the failure of its union to sign an agreement with RWC after a row over issues including the provision of advertisement-free stadiums and the timing of the country's provincial championship.

Even though the New Zealand union's two IRB delegates, Tim Gresson and Rob Fisher, had agreed that Tues day's debate should proceed, their union threatened on Tuesday to take out a high court injunction in London preventing the council from making a decision on the ground that it was a fait accompli.

The action did not proceed after the IRB asked to be represented legally at the hearing, making New Zealand fear protracted and ultimately fruitless legal proceedings.

Aside from the two principals, only the Welsh Rugby Union has mandated its delegates, who have been told to vote in favour of New Zealand. But Australia has secured the support of South Africa, Scotland and Ireland, the latter two after they were assured no attempt would be made to entice England and France away from the Six Nations Championship and into the Tri-Nations for at least five years.

A considerable factor in the debate has been the deteriorating relationship between the Australian and New Zealand unions, who have spent two months trading insults to the point where it was difficult to see how they could organise the tournament jointly.

Northampton will field a team containing 14 internationals when they meet London Irish in Saturday's Powergen Cup final at Twickenham. The only non-Test player selected is the No8 Grant Seely.

Gloucester have signed Newport's 23-year-old England A flanker Peter Buxton.

· Neil Jenkins returned after injury to inspire Cardiff to a 27-16 victory over Caerphilly last night but his former international partner Rob Howley was carried off with suspected knee ligament damage.

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