THE Newport Gwent Dragons have backed merger talks between Cardiff Blues and Celtic Warriors.

Plans for the merger rocked Welsh rugby yesterday after respective financial backers Peter Thomas and Leighton Samuel held exploratory talks.

They then held a meeting with Welsh Rugby Union chief executive David Moffett on Monday, who will put their plans to a board meeting tomorrow.

If it goes ahead - and there will be major opposition from Cardiff shareholders in particular - it would reduce the number of professional sides in Wales to four which is what Moffett wanted in the first place.

The merger plan has caused outrage among Cardiff supporters, who would lose their tradition and history in much the same way as Newport, while Pontypridd fans are also angry as it will further disenfranchise them.

But Dragons director Martin Hazell has backed the move as the best way forward, while also saying there is no possibility of them merging with anyone else.

"We are a Gwent entity, we are a regional side whereas Cardiff never were," he said. "This plan is for the good of Welsh rugby, we haven't got enough players for five sides and we definitely haven't got enough money, it is just not sustainable.

"This would be more or less the four sides there should have been from the beginning, even if under a different guise. It's bound to happen in my opinion.

"And I'm still for centrally contracted players. That might also sort out the logistics of players travelling long distances to play which would mean players from Gwent playing for Gwent."

Hazell also says the Dragons' participation in the Heineken Cup would not be affected. "They will just let four teams go into the competition, we pick what teams they will be," he said.

Moffett explained: "I was approached over Christmas but these discussions are at a very preliminary stage."