WELSH rugby is set for another bombshell, with the very future of Celtic Warriors believed to be on the line.

The Welsh Rugby Union are holding a special meeting this evening when the Warriors' situation, the involvement of WRU officials on regional boards and relegation from the Premier Division are on the agenda.

Speculation has mounted over the past few days about the future of the Warriors, and it was certainly the talk of Dublin, where the Dragons spent the weekend.

Warriors owner Leighton Samuel has often threatened to walk away, and they have had a chequered history in the brief time regional rugby has been up and running.

There have been ground problems following the decision to leave Pontypridd and concentrate on Bridgend, the crowds have been poor and there was the controversial Gareth Thomas move to Toulouse.

It is believed the Warriors are experiencing major financial problems, and there is even concern about their future existence.

It is believed they could even go to the wall which would result in five teams becoming four.

WRU group chief executive David Moffett has insisted all along that there is only enough money in the game for four teams at the top level.

If the Warriors did go bust it would release a whole squad of players and the top ones could either go to rival regions or it could even be the beginning of central contracts and a drafting system.

That could result in key backs being moved to the Dragons with front five forwards going for Cardiff Blues.

There is also concern over WRU figures like Moffett, chairman David Pickering, general manager Steve Lewis and technical chairman David Rees on the boards of the Warriors and Dragons.

If companies get into financial difficulties named board members could be implicated. It has happened before, notably at Neath.

The hot potato of relegation from the Premier Division is also due to be sorted.

Ebbw Vale, who finished bottom of the table, are in the firing line, but with all sorts of anomalies through the season over the number of regional players used by different teams and the threat of legal action, that is another complex issue.