2015 Rugby World Cup
Australia demand Wales be denied home advantage
ESPN Staff
December 9, 2012
England coach Stuart Lancaster, Australia coach Robbie Deans and Wales coach Warren Gatland pose with the Rugby World Cup, 2015 Rugby World Cup pool allocation draw, Tate Modern, London, England, December 3, 2012
Australia were drawn alongside England and Wales for the 2015 tournament © Getty Images
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Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup
Teams: Australia | Wales

Australia have called on the 2015 Rugby World Cup organisers to prevent Wales from playing in Cardiff during the tournament.

The Wallabies will take on England at Twickenham and would face another team with home advantage in the pool stages if Wales get their way in hosting games at the Millennium Stadium.

England and Wales had agreed the Six Nations champions would use the Millennium Stadium prior to them being drawn in the same World Cup pool. But the Australian Rugby Union insist it would be "highly inappropriate" if Wales were allowed to play in Cardiff.

"We would naturally expect fairness and equity when it comes to deciding venues for the tournament and determining which teams play where," an ARU spokesman told The Rugby Paper. "To that end we would consider it highly inappropriate for Wales to be playing any of those matches at home.

"England is the host of the event, not Wales. We are mindful that the final decision rests with the Rugby World Cup board."

The Board, which includes Welsh Rugby Union chairman David Pickering and former Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill, hope to finalise the entire 2015 schedule by the end of March.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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