News: The new chairman of the International Rugby Board (IRB), Syd Millar, has pledged to increase assistance to minor nations and to get rugby back into the Olympic Games.

The former Ireland and Lions prop, Millar (70) was elected unopposed as chairman for a term of at least three years to succeed the late Vernon Pugh.

"I want to ensure the game continues to develop," the Ulsterman told a news conference. "I want to ensure we get a positive response to getting into the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

"I want to ensure that we do something for the nations who have problems getting finance or competition," Millar said.

He said the IRB's task was to make sure all the major nations remained competitive while giving the minor nations more assistance. A working party had been set up under Millar to assist countries experiencing financial hardship.

Critics of the present World Cup format say only five countries - Australia, England, New Zealand, France and South Africa - have a realistic chance of winning the trophy. The first four were the predictable semi-finalists last weekend after 20 countries played in the pool stages.

Millar said he wanted to get rugby back into the Summer Olympics as soon as possible. As in the Commonwealth Games, sevens would be the preferred form of the game rather than 15-a-side.

The new chairman will get an early chance to lobby for rugby's inclusion when IOC president Jacques Rogge, himself a former rugby player, arrives in Sydney today. Rugby was last played at the 1924 Paris Games and the US are still the Olympic champions.

Millar also said there were no plans to give the William Webb Ellis trophy to Australia to keep if they won the cup for the third time by beating England in Saturday's final. Last year Pugh said the first country to win the cup three times would be allowed to keep the current trophy and a replica would be designed for future tournaments.

Asked if the IRB would honour Pugh's promise, Millar replied: "No, we keep it (the cup). I have no knowledge of that."

IRB spokesman Chris Rea said Pugh had been speaking as an individual, not as the board's chairman.

Millar described the current tournament as the best yet of the five World Cups with a total spectator attendance of 1.85 million.