Still plenty of time to steer clear of `nightmare scenario'

ENGLAND'S dispute with the rest of the Five Nations over the division of new TV money will rumble on. Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France held a private meeting yesterday and the threat, to exclude England from the 1998 Five Nations Championship remains. It is a last resort by the other four countries but both camps are firmly entrenched.

England want an English TV deal, while the other nations are calling on an equal split of the huge cash on offer as in the past.

The only encouragement is that there is much time to resolve matters. The first Five Nations match that England could be excluded from is their fixture against Wales at Twickenham on February 21st 1998 22 months away.

Bob Weighill, who captained England in the International Championship matches straight after the war and is now secretary of the Five Nations Committee (FNC), said. "The last thing anyone wants is for the Five Nations tournament to be back up. We would all be horrified to think that it might founder."

Ray Williams, one of the Welsh representatives on the FNC, said "That is a nightmare scenario."

The four countries meeting puzzled England, with English Rugby Union secretary Tony Hallett saying "I hope to hear from Bob Weighill what the attitude of the other countries was.

"Significantly, England were not involved. But it is a strange way of doing business and odd that, if you have an argument with someone, you don't invite them to the table."

England will have another chance in this long running dispute in which the balance will be plus or minus millions of pounds.

Weighill said "It was simply a private meeting between four people outside England who wanted to discuss their mutual positions. If you are in conflict with somebody, you want to discuss your approach without them knowing your thinking.

"The five nations are still talking. But Sky TV have headed a bid for the 1998 Five Nations which apparently incorporates different offers to each country."

England are obviously more highly rewarded, especially in comparison to Ireland who, with limited Sky watchers, population and rugby players, are disadvantaged over future TV cash prospects.

Williams added "The future is in the melting pot. England are trying to sell something they do not own.

"There has to be compromise but, if England refuse to climb down, we either have to carry out our threat not to play them or shut up. It has to be equal shares or nothing."

Hallett said "It would be ludicrous if we could not play the other countries. France won't stand out that long. We want to negotiate our own TV deal and that is something they have been doing for six years.

"We will also be reminding the Irish that we turned up to play them in 1973 when Wales and Scotland had refused the previous year.

"This is long game. There is no short quick fix with TV rights and the future of the Five Nations at stake. We are going ahead independently and, if we are excluded, we will find others nations to play internationals' against us at Twickenham."

SRU senior vice president Fred McLeod said "It was agreed by the three home unions that each would consider its own domestic requirements in addition to the sale of broadcasting rights in the Five Nations Championships and that tender documents would be submitted to the various broadcasting companies.

"It is for the committee of the Five Nations to determine broadcasting rights in its championship which do not belong to any one union."

McLeod stressed that the FNC would remain in charge of the broadcasting rights in the Five Nations and added that the television sub committee would prepare tender, documents for broadcasters to consider.

"We are confident that the eventual sale of broadcasting rights will prove extremely beneficial to all the home nations, without exception," he added.