The New Zealand Rugby Union are considering sending their own chef to the Rugby World Cup in a bid to avoid any food poisoning mishaps.
After claiming food poisoning cost them the 1995 World Cup in South Africa, New officials are looking at sending their own cook to this year's tournament, starting in October in Sydney.
In 1995, then-coach Laurie Mains claimed the All Blacks had been victims of food poisoning on the eve of the final, won by the Springboks 15-12 in extra time.
Rugby World Cup (RWC) organisers said today they were happy to accommodate reasonable team requests, such as an All Blacks team chef.
"England's bringing more (support) people than than they have in their team," RWC general manager Matt Carroll told AAP.
"They've got their psychologists as well as their kicking experts. Whatever a team wants, within reason, we will provide."
New Zealand will be based mainly in Melbourne where they have two games, and will fly in just prior to games in Brisbane and Sydney.
Team managers from the 20 competing nations will arrive in Australia later this month for a five-day mission to assess accommodation, training facilities and playing venues.