Hong Kong is set to host the Bledisloe Cup again after the All Blacks' end-of-year international against England was brought forward a month, paving the way for New Zealand to play Australia on October 30.
The New Zealand Rugby Union said yesterday that Hong Kong was the most likely venue for the overseas leg of the Bledisloe Cup this year after confirming that the All Blacks would play England on November 6.
In Wellington, Steve Tew, NZRU's chief executive, said the date change gave the All Blacks and Australia the opportunity to look at playing another test in Asia on October 30, as both teams would be en route to Britain for end-of-season tours.
Although the Asian venue has not been confirmed, Tew said Hong Kong appeared to be the most likely destination given the success of the All Blacks previous visit to the city two years ago, when they met the Wallabies in front of a sell-out crowd at the Hong Kong Stadium.
Officials at Hong Kong Rugby Football Union confirmed plans were underway to bring back the Bledisloe Cup - the annual tussle for trans-Tasman supremacy - to So Kon Po. The encounter will be the fourth game in the Bledisloe Cup this year, the other three being part of the Tri-Nations, which also includes South Africa. New Zealand are the current holders of the trophy.
'We are very pleased to learn that the dates for the England versus the All Blacks game has been changed. This gives us the opportunity to bring the Bledisloe Cup back to Hong Kong,' Trevor Gregory, chairman of HKRFU, said. 'We had a wonderful experience in 2008 and are now looking forward to hosting another successful match.'
