NEW ZEALAND'S state owned television has lost out to pay TV in a tussle for live broadcast rights for rugby internationals featuring the All Blacks, despite a personal plea from Prime Minister Jim Bolger. Broadcasting Minister Maurice Williamson described the move as "very disappointing" for hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders.

All Black test games, home and away, for almost 30 years have been screened live on Television New Zealand (TVNZ). But yesterday Sky TV won the rights to live coverage of the international matches. Under the deal TVNZ will only be able to broadcast the matches later on.