Legal threat may scupper Moffett's proposals

[icWales] THE ODDS are increasing on David Moffett kicking his four-team regional plan into touch tomorrow evening.

The continuing threat of legal action from Pontypridd and Swansea is likely to leave WRU chief executive Moffett with no option but to drop the proposals.

And this would mean Welsh rugby remaining unchanged next season, with a top tier of nine clubs.

Moffett has made it clear he will not take his plan for four regional franchises forward to next month's scheduled EGM if it means the Union facing potentially costly litigation.

And Ponty and Swansea are both intent on heading to the courts if the Union goes ahead with the scheme.

They fear they would be left out in the cold, with Cardiff and Llanelli being handed the franchises in their respective

This, they insist, would leave them substantially disadvantaged in both financial and rugby terms and would involve a breach of their loyalty agreements with the Union.

So that appears to leave Moffett with no choice but to drop the plan.

The only other way he could secure a reduction in the number of professional teams - either to four or five - would be via the Premier clubs reaching agreement among themselves.

But they have so far abjectly areas. failed to do so, with both Neath and Llanelli rejecting mergers with Swansea and Cardiff unwilling to go with Ponty.

Moffett will meet with the Premier clubs tomorrow morning and if there is no sign of any progress on that front, he will be left just his own plan.

And, given the legal problems, he may well tell the general committee tomorrow evening that the risk of pressing ahead is too great - leaving us with the status quo and nine clubs.