The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said today it had withdrawn an invitation for New Zealand to co-host the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
The ARU said in a statement: "The Australian Rugby Union has announced the withdrawal of an offer for New Zealand to be the sub-host of Rugby World Cup 2003".
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRFU) had been given a deadline of 5 p.m. (4 a.m. Irish time) today to settle a range of issues with the International Rugby Board (IRB) and sign the Rugby World Cup (RWC) Sub Host Agreement with Australia.
The NZRFU signed the agreement earlier on today but attached a series of conditions.
"A document signed by the NZRFU today is substantially and materially different from the sub-host agreement submitted by the ARU and approved by RWC," the Australian body said.
The NZRFU had been in dispute over its plan to go ahead with New Zealand's national provincial championship, a big revenue earner which overlaps with the World Cup's early stages.