The Welsh Rugby Union chairman, Glanmor Griffiths, revealed that there is a signed agreement promising Wales a proportion of any matches should France host the World Cup.

Although the WRU has no guarantee should England win the bid, Griffiths is confident that the Rugby Football Union would be happy to make use of Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

When Wales hosted the 1999 World Cup, both matches and profits were shared with France, England, Ireland and Scotland.

"There is an arrangement with France that they have to give us a share of the matches, similar to the matches we gave them in 1999," Griffiths said.

"France got a pool of six matches, a quarter-final play-off and a quarter-final, and we'll be expecting France to honour that committment as well.

"If England are hosts, it makes good sense to use the Millennium Stadium, which is closer to Twickenham than a stadium such as Old Trafford.

"We want a share of the matches, we deserve it - our stadium is the best rugby stadium in the world and we want matches in it in 2007."

French rugby supremo Bernard Lapasset has said he will be holding talks with Griffiths to reach a deal.

"We signed certain things in 1999," said Lapasset, who refused to elaborate upon the exact details of the agreement.

"We will see what we have to negotiate, which includes financial compensation."

The RFU is likely to make use of England's leading football stadia to host Rugby World Cup matches.

Old Trafford, the City of Manchester Stadium - the Commonwealth Games showpiece soon to be taken over by Manchester City - and St James' Park in Newcastle are believed to be three front-runners.

"I believe that the one country philosophy is wrong - a tournament involving 40 to 50 matches should be spread over more than one country," Griffiths added.

"You get bigger gate receipts and you raise the profile of the game.

"When we hosted the tournament in 1999, we entered into a binding reciprocal agreement with the other four Unions that entitles us to 20% of the proceeds when the tournament is staged in their countries."