The New Zealand Rugby Union will seek financial support from the government to keep its 2011 World Cup bid afloat.

NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs told the Dominion Post newspaper, the union would approach the government for financial help early next year.

Hobbs said government funding had taken on more importance after World Cup hosting criteria were unveiled by the International Rugby Board at its annual meeting in Dublin last month.

The criteria includes a minimum guaranteed amount, in pounds, that must be returned to Rugby World Cup Ltd by the hosts, and Hobbs admitted that was a "big hurdle".

"My feeling is, having seen the criteria, that Government support is very important if we are to take our bid any further, or pull the pin," he said.

"We've got to look at that and see if it's realistic ... that will happen pretty early in the New Year, considering the time frames."

Hobbs did not reveal the size of the IRB's fee, but said the size of New Zealand's stadia restricted the NZRU's ability to bring in revenue.

"The sole income as a host is your ticket sales. You have to take into account how many tickets you can sell and at what price.

"We have stadiums of a certain size ... but I would think at the current capacity it would be a stretch."

But the NZRU was not interested in owning or investing in a national stadium, he said.

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