SECRET talks are underway about Wales being dropped by England amid suggestions England want to turn the Six Nations tournament into a Tri-Nations event.

A Rugby Football Union spokesman denied Wales are to be dropped, but it is understood sources are talking about ending over a century of fixtures between the two countries.

England play the major Southern Hemisphere countries on a regular basis and only this summer beat both New Zealand and Australia Down Under.

Moves have been made to play a four-match series against the Southern Hemisphere giants on a regular basis, and England fly out to Australia next month for the World Cup as the favourites.

Only last Saturday they humiliated Wales with a record 43-9 victory in Cardiff with a second XV after coach Clive Woodward rested every single one of the side which beat Australia.

It took England's points total in their last five matches against Wales to 209 - at an average of more than 40 points a time.

It is that kind of statistic which has prompted discussions within the England camp to drop Wales altogether. They have grown contemptuous of Wales, especially as their second team swept them aside in Cardiff.

Some sources in England believe their needs will be best suited to a Tri Nations tournament here involving themselves, France and Ireland.

That would leave Wales, Scotland and Italy cast adrift and would almost certainly leave the Welsh Rugby Union, already nearly £70m in debt on the Millennium Stadium and with a £7m overdraft, facing bankruptcy.

Rugby sources in England and Wales reveal this plan is a distinct possibility. They point to the Welsh football team when the Home Championship was dropped years ago and believe the same thing could happen in rugby.

But an RFU spokesman said: "This comes under the Six Nations Committee and they set the fixtures. We are committed to playing Wales, the last Six Nations fixture at Cardiff was 26-9 and everyone agreed it was a fantastic fixture.

"There is no question we don't value the fixture, it is of huge importance to us."

The position of Steve Hansen as Wales coach continues to cause concern amid mounting calls for him to resign now after an unprecedented run of 11 successive defeats.

Apart from worries about Hansen's track record, there is disgust in some quarters in the WRU at his four-letter outburst the day before the England game, his words bleeped out on television.

But even if the WRU wanted to get rid of Hansen - and he has received support from chief executive David Moffett - they could not afford to under the terms of his contract.

l Mike Ruddock will tell Wales not to worry about the thought of winning as they seek to end their losing run tonight against Romania at Wrexham.

"We have told our players not to be afraid to talk about winning," said Ruddock, the Newport & Gwent Dragons coach who takes temporary charge of Wales.

"But it's easy for me to say that as I don't have to go on to the next game. If we win I resign undefeated, and if we lose I resign," joked Ruddock. Hopefully the fact that I'm not under pressure will enable the players to relax and play some rugby.

"We have got to respond to the nation to get the result everyone wants. Despite limited preparation time we will do our best to get the result.

"World Cup places are wide open, no-one has booked his ticket yet. But if this team get a result they will be the first to put their hands up."