Australia's national news agency AAP has reluctantly agreed to drop video coverage in order to gain access to the Rugby World Cup, but a drawn-out stoush over accreditation rights continues with Australia's two major newspaper groups still on the outer.

Just days before the opening match in New Zealand, AAP said its "difficult" decision to compromise with the International Rugby Board (IRB) had been made to support its subscribers.

"While I'm not happy we can't treat Rugby World Cup coverage in the same way we treat other news events (completely multimedia), I am pleased we can at least provide stories, images and data from within the grounds," said AAP Editor in Chief Tony Gillies.

"I can appreciate any sport wanting to protect revenue streams from commercial rights holders, but the process of gaining Rugby World Cup news accreditation has taken far too long.

"The ensuing protracted debate over news freedom and commercial rights is really not healthy."

Mr Gillies said it was "truly sad" that News Ltd and Fairfax Media remained on the outer.

Both groups are reportedly planning to cover matches from outside the grounds.

The Newspaper Publishers' Association (NPA) welcomed AAP's "practical" decision but expressed disappointment that it must restrict its services.

"It is regrettable a media agency of world-class quality must reduce its own full service to clients because of the restrictions placed on journalists as a condition of attending games," said NPA chief executive Mark Hollands.

"Offering video-reportage and highlights of matches is within the law, and covered by the Copyright Act in Australia."

Effectively, AAP would have had to pay for rights to use video content that it was entitled to use without payment, Mr Hollands said.

Newspaper publishers believe they will be at a commercial disadvantage to non-accredited media organisations, which would not be bound by time restrictions on video footage and would be free to place advertising with their journalism.

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