New Zealand, the hosts of the 2011 Rugby World Cup would prefer to have only 16 teams competing in the 2011 World Cup, reported the New Zealand Herald today.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) is considering reducing the number of teams taking part in the World Cup from 20 to 16, French rugby chief Bernard Lapasset said on the weekend.

He said that the 2011 edition of the World Cup will take place with either 20 teams or with 16 teams, 12 of which will be automatically qualified and the other four winning through from a world qualifier held in 2010.

During the World Cup of 1987, 1991 and 1995 only 16 teams participated, but after 1995 four more teams were included.

But there have been some embarrassingly lop-sided results in the last two World Cups and it now takes six weeks to complete, leading many critics to say it is too long with too many meaningless games.

The IRB is to take a decision on the matter when it meets in Paris on October 17-19.