News - AU Rugby
ARU look to Twickenham as potential Bledisloe Cup host
ESPN staff
April 20, 2016
© Michael Steele/Getty Images

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) continues to shop a Bledisloe Cup fixture to the world with Twickenham the latest venue to be thrown up as a potential host while Sydney's ANZ Stadium is refurbished.

The home of English Rugby could play host to the famous trans-Tasman rivalry somewhere between 2018 and 2021 while the former Olympic venue is upgraded to a rectangular venue as per plans announced by the NSW State Government last week.

New York City is also said to be an option for an offshore Bledisloe with the RU keen to cash in on one of rugby's marquee events.

"We are a global game so global opportunities will present themselves," ARU general manager Rob Clarke told the Daily Telegraph.

"Argentina are playing their home game against us at Twickenham in the Rugby Championship this year, so there is a precedent there.

© Stu Forster/Getty Images

"It is a wonderful ground and certainly I think it would be a huge hit. We would be open-minded to that if the RFU were interested in having a discussion.

"That said, we have to balance that against rewarding our fans here in Australia and giving them top-class rugby content. So we wouldn't make that decision lightly, but it is certainly part of the framework."

The ARU will only consider taking a trans-Tasman Test offshore when the Wallabies were hosting two games of the three-match series, with Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium and the MCG suitable local options.

The Bledisloe Cup has already been contested outside of Australia on three occasions in Hong Kong (twice) and Tokyo while Australia and New Zealand only last year fought out the Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham, the All Blacks triumphing 34-17.

© ESPN staff

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