WELSH rugby chief David Moffett (pictured) insists he will not resign despite his revolutionary plans for the game in the Principality being left in tatters.

The nine Premier clubs yesterday unanimously rejected his £7.5m offer of funding for five 'regional' sides to play in Europe and the Celtic League as, exclusively forecast in Thursday's Argus and revealed in late editions yesterday, maintaining £8m is the minimum required.

If that position remains, Welsh rugby will again have nine clubs in the top tier next season, which nobody wants, but with Moffett threating to reduce overall funding by half to £4.62m (just £500,00 per club).

Bridgend owner Leighton Samuel said that would mean "bankruptcy for Welsh rugby with players moving away and domestically we'd be just like Welsh football."

At a dramatic impromtu Press conference held at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris yesterday, Moffett admitted the pressure he had been put under had made him question his future.

"The clubs have put me under incredible pressure to provide the money," he said.

"I considered saying that if they persisted in asking me to provide funds which didn't exist I would have to consider my position as chief executive."

But he quickly added: "I'm in it for the long haul.

"We will now meet on Monday as planned and perhaps after they have had time to think it over we may yet get together."

He will take consolation from the words of a Pontypridd source, who said: "I don't think it will take a huge amount of movement to reach a decision."

Samuel commented, however: "The feeling is David Moffett is trying to humiliate us."

Meanwhile, Moffett has urged the Welsh team to stay focused on today's Six Nations game with France and not be distracted by the breakdown in negotiations which leaves them with an even more uncertain future.

"The players need to concentrate on playing against France," he urged.

"The public on this plane have already expressed their disappointment with the news and their immediate reaction is one of huge disbelief.

"It's an extremely sad day for Welsh rugby, and I'm not sure where we go from here.

"If this is some sort of bargaining tool it won't work. The money is not there.

"We have always argued there is enough money and players for four teams and the clubs' contention that we can't find enough for five to satisfy their requirements indicates there is only enough for four.

"I find it hard to believe they will go down to £4.2m divided by nine clubs for the next number of years."

Moffett attempted to answer the suspicions of those who believe the extra £500,000 is there by saying: "I had indicated to the clubs I could get to £8m, but on closer inspection of the finances that is just not possible.

"For the sake of £100,000 per entity their decision is short-sighted."