IRB on the defensive over release of players

The International Rugby Board claim they have done everything they can to ensure every World Cup team is able to select the best available players.

Six of the 20 competing nations have been weakened because players declared themselves unavailable, in most cases because they cannot afford to put their respective club contracts on hold for the duration of the tournament.

The IRB have been accused of not doing enough to help the smaller nations but communications officer Chris Rea has defended the governing body's position.

"It is very important to the World Cup that the best players play, but if those players decide they don't wish to play, for whatever reason, there is a limit to how far we can go," he said.

"The Board has done all it can to secure the release of these players. We can only do what we are empowered to do."

The smaller rugby nations are concerned players have been placed under undue pressure to remain with their clubs, a breach of Regulation Nine which states international teams have priority of selection. However, only two official complaints have been recorded and Rea insisted the IRB had investigated both fully.