Australia will host the 2003 Rugby World Cup on their own following a decision from the International Rugby Board not to re-instate New Zealand as co-hosts.

The International Rugby Board confirmed their decision at a meeting in Dublin today, upholding the controversial move to axe New Zealand as co-hosts earlier this year.

The sport's showpiece tournament, held every four years, was originally scheduled for Australia and New Zealand but World Cup organisers withdrew their invitation to New Zealand to co-host the tournament last month after officials refused to sign the sub-host agreement.

The Kiwis found themselves axed due to concerns about their ability to provide venues without pre-booked advertising and seating.

Tournament organisers had already been angered by the Kiwis' failure to move their domestic NPC Championship out of World Cup time, reluctantly agreeing to an overlap in the two competitions.

"Throughout its deliberations, the (IRB) Council has been acutely aware of the implications for rugby wherever it is played and remains sensitive to the impact of this decision upon the game in New Zealand, but it was left with no alternative," said an IRB statement confirming the move.

"Generous accommodations made by RWCL to meet the needs and problems of the NZRFU were repaid with consistent failures and wholly inappropriate behaviour.

"Despite this, the Council determined to give full and fair hearing to New Zealand's position and to its most recent submissions.

"However, the outstanding Australian proposal held an attraction, a professionalism and a logic which were irresistible."

The move will be greeted with jubilation by Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill and dismay by NZRFU chairman Murray McCaw, who hadthreatened legal action if his country were not reinstated.

RWC '03 Time-line:

1998: International Rugby Board and Rugby World Cup Limited receive a bid from Australia and New Zealand to host the 2003 World Cup.

1999: Terms agreed between all parties, with Australia confirmed as official hosts and New Zealand as sub-hosts.

November - Australia capture the World Cup for the second time, defeating France in the final at the Millennium Stadium.

2000: Australia successfully stages the 'best-ever' Olympic Games.

2001: November 21 - RWCL and Australia sign Host Union Agreement.

November 30 - New Zealand Rugby Football Union chairman Murray McCaw confirms by letter that 'as a matter of principle, the NZRFU has no difficulty with the concept that the Sub Host Union Agreement shall be on the same terms as the Host Union Agreement', effectively agreeing to provide 'clean' stadiums.

December 18 - New Zealand sign a draft of the Sub-Host Union Agreement. The document is later considered unacceptable to the IRB for reasons other than clean venues.

2002: March 1 - New Sub-Host Union agreement drafted and sent to NZRFU for signature.

March 5 - Announcement of World Cup draw in Sydney postponed.

March 8 - NZRFU refuses to sign document in its present form and returns it with a number of amendments. Chairman Murray McCaw claims he 'is not prepared to mortgage New Zealand's rugby future on the whim of the RWC'.

March 8 - Invitation to New Zealand to act as co-hosts withdrawn.

March 19 - ARU officials deny engineering the ditching of New Zealand as hosts.

March 29 - Australia present proposals to stage the tournament on their own.

April 18 - Australia confirmed as sole hosts of the 2003 World Cup.