By Paul
January 15 2003

After Weeks of meeting's with the clubs, the WRU have finally lost patience with the Premiership clubs and will forward a motion for Moffett's plans to be voted on at the nearest possible date. But a meeting tomorrow with Moffett could still save the Premiership clubs.

EGM Call On The Verge

According to an insider at the Union;

"Barring anything sensational happening, the general committee is likely to back Moffett's plans.

"The view of the committee is that the clubs have been given enough time to come up with a solution. We cannot wait indefinitely - we have to put this to the membership.

"It is the membership who will make the ultimate decision, not the premier clubs, not Moffett and not the general committee.

"If we don't call an EGM soon we could be forced into it by clubs from the lower divisions. They want this matter discussed and a decision taken as soon as possible. Once a decision has been taken by the country's 239 clubs everybody will know where we are."

"Moffett predicted this would be a crunch week for Welsh rugby and that's how the committee is viewing it. We believe we have a strong case to take to our clubs at an EGM."

The club bosses met near Llantrisant yesterday with spokesman Peter Thomas, chairman of Cardiff, emerging to claim, "There has been further progress. We have had another constructive debate."

But Ebbw Chairman Marcus Russell had a very different perception of the meeting, just showing how far apart the clubs are;

"From our point of view, yesterday's meeting was a waste of time. "Cardiff and Llanelli made it clear they have no intentions of helping to reduce the number of clubs.

"It's now my view that we couldn't sit at the same table. They don't want to talk and the whole thing is divided.

"The owners can't speak as one so there can't be a meeting with the Union and I think David Moffett should speak to each club individually.

"I don't think it's a step backwards, but people have to understand that there needs to be change.

"Cardiff and Llanelli seem to think there is more money available for the professional game in Wales than there is.

"They insist more money than the £7.5m per season has to be found by the WRU - but there is no more. They are living in a fantasy world.''