A PROPOSED mini World Cup in Australia next year has been derailed, but there is still a strong push for a round-robin tournament to provide some interest prior to Tri Nations Tests.

Due to concerns over the calibre of the France and Italy teams that are scheduled to tour Australia and New Zealand in June, Australian officials had proposed calling these games off and instead have the Wallabies tour New Zealand and vice versa.

After New Zealand initially backed this idea, they have been involved in a complete about-face, and suddenly gone cold on the proposal. Their Australian counterparts realised this several days ago when New Zealand released their 2009 domestic Test schedule, which includes playing France in Dunedin and Wellington, and Italy in Christchurch.

Nonetheless, New Zealand are still waiting for a response from the French Rugby Federation, and an assurance that it will send its best players. This appears impossible as the tour overlaps the French club competition, which could easily see many of the country's best players remaining at home.

Concerned about lacklustre June Tests, officials also recently discussed the possibility of having a 10-12 country tournament played along the east coast of Australia next year.

Apart from Australia, New Zealand, France and Italy, it was proposed to invite Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, United States, Argentina, Canada and Japan. However, the International Rugby Board was lukewarm on this idea, and according to one official, it has been "put on the backburner for the time being".

Now the Australian Rugby Union is proposing that France and Italy, if they do tour, are involved in a round-robin plan similar to the Super 14 tournament, ending with a final.