Welsh representatives faced a showdown with Irish and Scottish counterparts today over Anglo-Welsh Cup plans.

All three Celtic League partners were due to meet at Heathrow, with the Irish and Scots unhappy at the Welsh stance.

The plan is for the four Welsh regions to enter a revamped Powergen Cup alongside the top 12 English teams.

"Our objectives are to compete in the Celtic League, but we also want to compete in the Powergen," Welsh Rugby Union chairman David Pickering told BBC Wales Sport.

"I think everyone is aware of our stance. We've got a duty to ensure our regions survive financially. "The Welsh regions need this high-intensity competition, they need regular meaningful games and that's what we will aim to achieve."

The new-look Powergen Cup would involve Newport Gwent Dragons, the Ospreys, Llanelli Scarlets and Cardiff Blues alongside the 12 English Zurich Premiership clubs - soon to become the Guinness Premiership clubs.

A group stage of four pools of four teams would guarantee each side six matches and a £200,000 share of a reported £7m pot, with the four pool winners advancing to the semi-finals.

The knock-out stage would begin in March, with a double-header mooted for the Millennium Stadium, with the final at Twickenham the following month.

The venue for the final would then alternate between London and Cardiff.

The dates for the pool stage of the tournament have been pencilled in for October and December, with an agreement possible as early as next week.

But first the Welsh must defend their corner against the Irish and Scots, from whose camps have emanated threats to throw the Welsh out of the Celtic League, replacing them with Italian sides.

Italian teams may yet be invited to join the Celtic League, but that is unlikely to be at the expense of the four Welsh regions despite the posturing.

The proposed pools have been assembled along loose English geographical lines, with the Ospreys having the pick of the crop.

The Celtic League champions would get the choice placement in the south-west pool alongside 'local' rivals Bath, Gloucester and newly-promoted Bristol.

Cardiff Blues would have the longest trips to face Newcastle, Sale and Leeds, the Dragons would have regular journeys down the M4 against Wasps, Saracens and London Irish, while the Scarlets would play Leicester, Northampton and Worcester. Leicester, Northampton and Worcester.