28 Nov 2008

American Bledisloe 'pretty close'

7:16 pm on 28 November 2008

A Bledisloe Cup rugby test in Colorado looks a reality with American organisers declaring they are close to confirming the Wallabies-All Blacks clash.

The Metro Denver Sports Commission says it's confident of hosting a transtasman rugby union Test at the home of the Denver Broncos late next year.

Although rugby is a minor sport in the USA, the Denver Barbarians compete in the national Super League and USA Rugby, is based at the nearby Boulder.

The Commission president KieAnn Brownell says there is big enough rugby community and interest to sell out the 76,000-capacity NFL stadium.

If organisers are successful it would be the second off-shore Bledisloe Test played between Australia and New Zealand after the All Blacks scored a 19-14 win in Hong Kong early this month.

That match reportedly boosted the ARU and NZRU coffers by more than $3.5 million.