PLANS for a European Rugby Clubs Association were agreed at a meeting in London last night. Representatives from six European nations - Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy - met to discuss the new body and also came up with a formula for two club competitions which are scheduled to begin next season.

The first of these tournaments will comprise 20 clubs - England, Wales and France will have four representatives, Scotland and Ireland three each and Italy two - with each team playing a minimum of eight matches on a home and away basis.

The second will have 32 clubs, with Wales and France contributing eight teams, England six, Scotland and Ireland four each and Italy two.

The meeting was chaired by Peter Wheeler, the chairman of England First Division Rugby Ltd, who said afterwards: "We are thrilled to have reached agreement on quite a complex matter. We hope it will provide a blueprint for the future and will herald a new dawn of opportunity, for not only the game but for players and spectators in each country."

Delegates from each country will now return to meet with their clubs on an individual basis to discuss the proposals further.

However, Tony Hallett, secretary of English Rugby Football Union, welcomed the news with mixed feelings. Hallett, who has been in touch with Wheeler over the project, said: "While welcoming cross border competition as an important part of the future, we remain concerned that European commitments do dove tail with our domestic competitions."

He added: "We rely heavily on the sponsorship from Pilkington and Courage, but there are also incoming tour fixtures and internationals which must be viewed as a playing priority."

Meanwhile, Italy showed its ambitions yesterday when its national federation announced it had applied to join the Five Nations championship.

Underrated before last year's World Cup in South Africa, they confounded critics by beating Argentina 31-25 and giving England a fright before going down valiantly 27-20 in their Group B matches.