English rugby union set to agree to pay-per-view

PAY PER VIEW for England's international matches on satellite television could be introduced in Britain within the next few seasons under the terms of the Rugby Football Union's controversial new five year contract with BSkyB.

Viewers with satellite dishes may have to pay between £8 and £12 for each match including Five Nations Championship games, should the satellite channel succeed in persuading Twickenham to support a pay-per-view policy which will also shortly apply to soccer.

Senior RFU officers who have consistently denied there will be pay per view in the near future, were deeply embarrassed at last night's annual meeting in London when George Kirk, the RFU, solicitor admitted that the possibility of pay-per-view was covered in the contract.

Tony Hallett the RFU secretary swiftly engaged in a damage limitation exercise, insisting that the RFU retained the power of veto over pay-per-view in the contract. Kirk drew gasps of surprise from the 400 RFU representatives when he declined to give a categorical assurance that there would be no pay-per-view for England games.

"Should, pay-per-view come, then we will have a say in how it should be administered" said Kirk. "We would be involved in negotiations leading up to it and we would not have sold our (contractual) rights over pay-per-view." Hallett told the meeting "we have no plans for pay-per-view," under the specific terms of the £87.5 million contract but the three other home unions which have already rejected lower offers from BSky for a new contract have voiced fears that pay-per-view was part of England's medium term agenda.

Anxiety over BSkyB's role in English rugby also surfaced when David Robinson, the RFU treasurer declined to give an assurance that the satellite company would exercise no control over the future format of domestic and international competitions.

Robinson, who signed the BSKyB contract along with Hallett, also rejected complaints from the floor that the Five Nations Championship might come to an end when the old contract with the BBC ends next year. "I don't agree we, will see the demise of the championship," he said. "I knew the other three unions would not be happy and might in the fullness of time move on into another championship, but I do not believe in threats.

"We sold our product because it was essential that we look after the union's assets. You don't send players on to the field to seek a draw with Scotland and Ireland and neither did we in this matter. Robinson reminded representatives that they had supported the concept of open rugby at a special meeting in March.

"Everybody knew we had gone into a new open game which we couldn't finance without more money. The only company to put in a bid were BSkyB. We knew the terrestrial channels could not match that bid."

Cliff Brittle, chairman of the RFU executive committee who has been excluded from the tv negotiation, revealed a working party had been set up to look into ways of improving internal relationships within the RFU.

"Things have been difficult, almost impossible," he said. "I was elected to do certain duties and I have been unable to carry those duties out. This cannot continue one minute longer. I have been sidelined on certain issues but I remain responsible to the membership at all levels."

Meanwhile, Tonga will field four new caps in the match against Western Samoa today. Their seven reserves have yet to play for their country.

The match is the opening round of the annual triangular series which was last year won by "Fiji.

Tonga appears to be doomed to be forever in rebuilding mode as professional rugby siphons off their best players to Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

Loose forward Vaa Toloke, who plays for New Zealand's Taranaki province, said the main problem for the Tongan Rugby Football Union was its lack of money to fly in good players.

Tonga has six overseas players, three from Australia, Falamani Mafi, Feleti Mahoni and Elisi Vunipola, and three from New Zealand, Toloke, Etuate Manu and Loni Katoa.

"I think they have good hearts," team manager Semisi Tapueluelu said recently.