THE four Welsh rugby regions will have to sign up to a participation agreement tomorrow or face the risk of not being given any money by the Welsh Rugby Union.

A vital meeting is being held between the WRU and the chief executives of the regions when a new WRU charter will be discussed again.

So far nothing has been signed on the charter which has been talked about for the past few months.

The WRU want to impose a 32-game limit for international players (a game being termed 41 minutes on the pitch), a limit of two non-Welsh qualified players per squad once existing contracts have been worked through and an agreed standard set and tested by the national squad's fitness coach.

The WRU want to jointly appoint coaches, assistant coaches, fitness coaches and physiotherapists and they want each regional player who is part of the national squad to have a four week rugby break and a 10-week pre-season.

The Union also want a region of origin rule, which would mean regions would be unable to poach players from each other, and a player loan system which means development players could be loaned to another region for up to two years.

But though the season has now started no deal has been struck and the WRU can't understand why a document which has been discussed for months hasn't been signed.

If there is still a problem tomorrow, the regions run the risk of having their money from the Union stopped.

Another big meeting takes place in Dublin today when the British Lions tour management, represented by one member from each of the four home unions, discuss the manager's situation.

There is concern over the resignation of Sir Clive Woodward from the England post, the fact that he is finishing with rugby once the Lions tour to New Zealand next year is over and the fact that his claim that the clubs were run by a strange bunch could now affect player-availability.

Woodward has since apologised for his remarks, but it is believed Wales are unhappy with the situation.

They will be represented in Dublin by WRU chairman David Pickering, who declined to comment on the situation when asked by the Argus.