NEWPORT Gwent Dragons chief Tony Brown, pictured, insists the Welsh Rugby Union has to make up its mind whether the Dragons are a regional side or a stand-alone club before the funding face-off between the pair can be resolved.

The Dragons claim they have been offered only the same money as stand-alone sides Cardiff Blues and Llanelli Scarlets to sign a participation agreement with the Union.

They say that's fine if they are allowed the same standing and benefits that entails, but otherwise they want the extra money Neath-Swansea Ospreys are getting as a regional enterprise.

The WRU, who took a 50% stake in the Dragons after Ebbw Vale pulled out, are insisting stand-alone status for the Dragons is not an option.

Breaking his slience on the matter, Brown said: "At the beginning of last season it was agreed that the regional sides would receive around £400,000 more funding than stand-alone clubs.

"The WRU have to decide if we are now a region or a stand-alone club. "If they are saying that we should receive the same money as Cardiff Blues and Llanelli Scarlets then we are saying that we should be regarded as a stand-alone club.

"Our costings and business plans have been put together on the basis that we are being funded as a region.

"We hope that things can be resolved fairly quickly. Anything is possible with communication and goodwill from both sides."

The issue is complicated by the fact that the original two WRU members of the Dragons board have been withdrawn and have played no part in discussions.

Brown says this is a matter for the Union. "Their two directors resigned and they appointed no one in their place, but the Union still own 50% of the region," he said.

WRU chief executive David Moffett and general manager Steve Lewis have offered to meet Dragons directors Brown and Martyn Hazell to further discuss the impasse.

Meanwhile, the Dragons are receiving no WRU funding while the other regional and stand alone clubs are.

Yesterday, Dragons chief executive Andy Marinos told the Argus: "We hope to come to some sort of agreement as soon as possible, but could not accept the terms as offered."