Not tonight, I'm watching rugby

Australian women could be all out of loving during the Rugby World Cup - according to a sex therapist.

Counsellor Jo-Anne Baker predicted a long month for many, as their partners became engrossed in the competition.

But she stressed the worst thing a "rugby widow" could do was try to make their other half choose between sport and sex.

"It's not about saying it's an either-or. It's about saying we can have both," Baker said.

She believed a woman's best chance of getting intimate with her partner was if his team won.

"Guys can celebrate the win of their favourite team by having great sex," she concluded.

"When people are happy they feel pretty high and they want to celebrate - and that is a pretty good way to celebrate!"

Lager will always be on the menu

Meanwhile, the Australian sex industry is anticipating a boom in trade.

Spokesman Robbie Swan said the Sydney 2000 Olympics resulted in a 50% increase in prostitution and the Rugby World Cup would not be far behind.

"You'll get your beer-drinking yobbos, but at the higher end of the scale rugby union has a clientele that you just don't get with rugby league - the judges, lawyers and big decision-makers," he said.

"A lot of overseas visitors will be coming from countries where brothels are illegal so we think they'll find it refreshing here. They won't be looking over their shoulder the whole time."

Unless the rugby is on a TV behind them.