Australian Rugby Union managing director John O'Neill flew to London on Sunday reporting that he has sealed a key platform in the ARU's bid to be the sole host for the 2003 World Cup tournament.

O'Neill will present what he described as the ARU's "compelling" case to the Rugby World Cup board on Tuesday. Australia is seeking to stage the entire tournament after New Zealand's sub-host status was withdrawn.

O'Neill will tell World Cup officials the ARU is now able todeliver 100 per cent "clean" stadiums - free of advertising and existing reserved seating restrictions - after negotiations cleared the last hurdles on Friday.

This is an important development given New Zealand's inability to guarantee the same thing led to it losing the co-host role which would have seen it stage 23 of the 48 matches.

New Zealand Sports Minister Trevor Mallard, who has been lobbying hard for his nation to be reinstated as co-host, has questioned whether the ARU had agreed to something it could not deliver.

The ARU was given 21 days to prepare the submission to become sole host. Its presentation will be given by O'Neill and the union's Rugby World Cup general manager Matt Carroll.

ARU spokesman Strath Gordon said the organisation expected the New Zealand Rugby Union would do everything in its power to salvage co-hosting rights but said the Australians were in a buoyant mood.

"We are confident it will be approved. We think the proposal is pretty compelling," said Gordon.

New South Wales state Premier Bob Carr has thrown the weight of his government's experience in organising the Sydney Olympics behind the ARU bid after meeting with International Rugby Board chief Vernon Pugh in Sydney last week.

Carr said World Cup officials had been impressed by the level of skills shown in running the 2000 Olympics, including the widely-praised work of volunteers. - Sapa