Fairfax and News Limited have reportedly struck secret deals with national rugby boards to cover the Rugby World Cup despite boycotting official media accreditation.
Australia's two largest publishers will cover the Rugby World Cup, which starts this Friday, by going direct to players and coaches, according to reports.
A Fairfax spokesperson confirmed the publisher will have access to players but declined to elaborate. News Limited declined to comment.
The two publishing companies are in a stand-off with the International Rugby Board over specifications as part of official media accreditation. The terms of accreditation include restrictions on video footage used for news reporting on newspaper sites and bans the use of pre-roll and post-roll online advertising surrounding the footage.
By refusing to agree with the IRB's terms, Fairfax and News Limited journalists will not be allowed on site in official game venues.
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