WELLINGTON, Sept 11, 2007 (AFP) - New Zealand has gone into the Rugby World Cup in France as hot favourites but at home officials are fretting about a fall in player numbers.

The New Zealand Rugby Union said Tuesday the number of rugby players in the country had fallen four percent this year to 136,059 from 141,241 in 2006.

NZRU community rugby manager Brent Anderson said the union was concerned about the decline.

'We have had positive growth over the last three years and we are extremely disappointed that our player numbers have dropped,' Anderson said.

LONDON, Aug 28, 2007 (AFP) - Then and now -- a thumbnail guide to the main players in the drama of Diana, Princess of Wales, a decade after her death: