The All Blacks have been offered big cash bonuses if they can win the Rugby World Cup which is to be held in New Zealand next year.

The All Blacks have consistently been rated as one of the world’s top teams but have failed to win the World Cup since the inaugural event in New Zealand in 1987.

A new collective agreement for professional rugby players announced Thursday offers All Blacks 100,000 dollars (68,000 US) each if they win next year’s World Cup or 35,000 dollars if they finish second.

The bonus is part of a new agreement which also opens the way for New Zealand Super rugby franchises to put foreign players on the field for the first time.

New Zealand-based squads in next year’s expanded Super 15 competition will be allowed to be expanded from 28 to between 30 to 32, including up to two foreign players.

The agreement between the New Zealand Rugby Union and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association will apply up to 2012.

The agreement also changes the pay structure for players in the domestic provincial competition, which has struggled financially in recent years.

“We are confident it will provide a basis for the sustainability of professional rugby at all levels of the game,” NZRU professional rugby general manager Neil Sorensen told AFP of the agreement.

The collective agreement which applies until 2012 also guarantees bonuses of NZ$100,000 (US$70,000) to every All Blacks player if New Zealand wins next year’s Rugby World Cup.

Individual All Blacks will receive a bonus of NZ$35,000 (US$24,500) if they reach the World Cup final in New Zealand and an additional NZ$65,000 (US$45,500) if they win the tournament.