The England and Lions prop Phil Vickery will next week sign a new four-year contract with Gloucester despite lucrative offers from their west country rivals Bath and the champions Leicester.
Vickery was involved in talks with the Gloucester owner Tom Walkinshaw last November and at one stage it looked as if he could be on his way out of Kingsholm after being offered a new contract worth £105,000 a year plus £5,000 for every appearance he makes.
Vickery has played only 11 matches for Gloucester this season after a number of injuries and he faces another month on the sidelines with a stress fracture of his right foot, but the deal he has now been offered is believed to be worth more than £200,000 a year.
"I am relieved that I have been able to come to an agreement with Tom," said Vickery. "I firmly believe the best decision for my future career was to stay at Kingsholm."
Gloucester's new director of rugby Nigel Melville has had a good month, securing new contracts with the hooker Olivier Azam and the prop Federico Pucciariello. "Phil's decision should send out the right message about our intention to challenge for top honours," Melville said.
Melville is not allowed to take a hands-on coaching role with Gloucester until after the Premiership match with his former employers Wasps at Loftus Road. It was postponed last January but a date in May has been offered as an alternative and Twickenham has yet to decide. Gloucester said yesterday that Melville would not be allowed near the pitch or dressing-room areas.
Australia expect to be confirmed as the sole organisers of the 2003 World Cup next week, but New Zealand have not given up hope of being restored as sub-hosts.
Rugby World Cup Ltd will hear a presentation from the Australian Rugby Union in London three weeks after the decision to dump New Zealand because they were unable to give assurances about stadiums being free of advertising.
The ARU has drawn up plans to stage the 20-team event exclusively in Australia and it is likely to win the backing of RWC. However, the International Rugby Board convenes in Dublin on April 12 and it has the authority to insist that New Zealand stages two of the four pools, two of the quarter-finals and a semi-final as was originally agreed.
The New Zealand union has been lobbying for support, but France and Scotland have backed RWC. Its main potential ally is England, whose bid to stage the 2007 World Cup will be voted on this year.
Australia may struggle to win South Africa's support after an outburst by the former Wallaby outside-half Mark Ella.
Reflecting on the poor performances of the South African Super-12 sides, he said: "The difference in ability and talent between the Anzacs and the South Africans is as wide as the Indian Ocean. [South Africa's] systems and policies have remained stagnant: they struggle to keep abreast of modern techniques and they are a disorganised bunch, doomed unless the new Springbok coach Rudi Straeuli can instigate positive change.
"Southern-hemisphere rugby needs to continue to evolve as a leader in rugby innovation. At the moment all three nations seem paralysed as we listen to the tripe coming out of the England camp rather than concentrating on developing our game to the next stage."
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