NEWPORT Gwent Dragons chief Martyn Hazell says it is imperative the Celtic League continues if regional rugby is to survive in Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

The four Welsh regions met the Welsh Rugby Union for crisis talks yesterday after the WRU had been thrown out of the league by their Celtic cousins for signing up to a new Anglo-Welsh Cup competition.

Afterwards the regions said they were 100 per cent behind the WRU's efforts in pushing for the new cup to be played alongside the Celtic League next season.

And Hazell said he believed a compromise to suit everyone could and would be negotiated.

"For the Irish, Scottish and Welsh regions to survive as we know them this has to be sorted out and it will be sorted out. It's just a matter of finding a compromise," said Hazell.

"As a region we are 100 per cent behind the WRU. They are doing the right thing in trying to get both competitions up and running and trying to broaden the scope and quality of rugby by joining an Anglo-Welsh Cup.

"The Irish have said the dates we have agreed for the Anglo-Welsh Cup don't suit but we believe we can revamp them to suit everybody.

"I believe the English Rugby Union will do everything they can to help. They want us to be involved in the new competition because the Powergen Cup is a dead duck.

"There is no specific time scale but it has got to be sorted out sooner rather than later and hopefully within the next couple of weeks.

"I think one of the problems is that the Irish and Scots think this is the thin end of the wedge and they have decided to make a stand.

"But I don't think the Irish or Scottish really want to go down the road they have started out on."

Llanelli Scarlets chief executive Stuart Gallacher agreed with Hazell, commenting: "Their (the Irish and Scots) decision could sound the death knell for professional rugby in the three Celtic countries.

"We are committed to the Celtic League, but by adding the Anglo-Welsh Cup we believe we are adding the fixture list that people want to see."

Cardiff Blues chief executive Robert Norster commented: "We will try to be conciliatory to our Celtic League partners, we want the tournament to continue.. and hope common sense will prevail."

The Welsh Rugby Union yesterday released a discussion document for a proposed Celtic League to run in conjunction with an Anglo-Welsh competition and chairman David Pickering said: "We firmly believe it services the needs and desires of all the players, coaches, fans, sponsors, administrators and broadcasters within Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

"It is obvious to us that our proposed Celtic League structure is a far superior competition to any alternative that has been mooted.

"We wish to place on record our firm long term commitment to the Celtic League and are trying to be conciliatory in our attitude towards our Celtic League partners."

It is vital to reach an agreement because the money the Welsh regions would lose from TV and other items relating to the Celtic League is substantially more than the financial gain of the Anglo-Welsh Cup.