The Welsh Rugby Union helped smooth out the reinstatement of the Celtic League by offering a "significant financial contribution", it was confirmed today.

It has become clear that the WRU offered a financial incentive to their Celtic partners for a change in the calendar that allows them to compete in the Anglo-Welsh Cup over a maximum of five weekends.

It was agreed in Friday's seven-hour summit meeting at Heathrow that with Scottish and Irish sides refusing to play over international weekends, the Welsh will catch up their fixtures in midweek.

That was the proposal WRU chief executive Steve Lewis had taken into the meeting and one he stated firmly the Celtic League Association could not afford to pass up.

Arguing that failure to reach an agreement would be professional suicide for all parties concerned, he said: "If the Scots and Irish turn down those plans then they will simply be cutting their own throats along with ours."

Lewis' proposals were accepted by the Celtic League Association, along with a sweetener from the WRU.

The size of the financial contribution has remained undisclosed but it was enough to secure the future of a competition that seemed doomed on May 31 when the Welsh sides were expelled in acrimonious circumstances for joining the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

Now it is guaranteed for four years and the agreement also allows for the potential inclusion of Italian teams at a later date.