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All Blacks and Wallabies

Australia and New Zealand's rugby union teams are set to play each other in a historic one-off Test in Hong Kong, the first on neutral turf outside a World Cup, a report said yesterday.

The match has been slated for October following approval from the International Rugby Board (IRB), the sport's governing body, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post said.

Details of the Test will be hammered out by officials from the countries' rugby unions when they pay a three-day visit to the city on today, the daily said.

"We have got approval from the IRB, who have no objection to Australia and New Zealand playing here," Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) executive director Allan Payne told the paper. "This is a huge step forward."

The officials will visit Hong Kong Stadium and discuss issues including television rights and how revenue will be shared between the Australian, New Zealand and Hong Kong rugby unions, the paper said.

■ Uncapped Duo Make Cut

England coach Brian Ashton has retained uncapped duo Paul Hodgson and Luke Narraway in a 33-man squad for next week's Six Nations opener against Wales.

London Irish scrum-half Hodgson and Gloucester back-row forward Narraway, together with Bath flanker Michael Lipman, were called up for training at Twickenham last Monday.

And the trio will be among the group that assembles in Bath tonight ahead of the Wales clash.

England have lost scrum-half Peter Richards for the entire tournament because of an arm injury while flanker Joe Worsley will miss at least the Wales match and the trip to Italy on Feb. 10.

Ashton has retained a large squad because of the risk of injuries with most of his squad involved in matches this weekend.

■ New Faces For Irish

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has included four new faces in his 22-man squad for the Six Nations opener against Italy on Feb. 2.

Leinster's Bernard Jackman, Jamie Heaslip and Robert Kearney are in line to make their tournament debuts, as is Munster prop Tony Buckley.
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