THE strike threat by the leading Welsh rugby players next week is still very much on.

And it is believed the offer of talks by the WRU will nowhere near meet the demands of the top clubs and players.

The players are still prepared to strike and the England game remains very much a target, not just Monday's training session as has been reported elsewhere.

And it is believed the WRU are coming under heavy pressure to sort the mess out from the RFU, anxious about what sort of team Wales will field when Twickenham is sold out for next Saturday.

Wales coach Steve Hansen is another who is deeply concerned.

Representatives of the players, led by skipper Scott Quinnell, met the Welsh Rugby Union last night before the vital general committee meeting, and the Union have responded by agreeing to consider the demands of both the 'gang of six' clubs and the players, which amounts to the same thing.

WRU secretary Dennis Gethin was this morning holding last minute discussions by telephone with Quinnell and with Stuart Gallacher, Llanelli chief executive, the 'gang of six' representative.

But it is believed all Gethin will offer is more talks -- that the Union will consider their demands as soon as possible.

The whole operation will be dominated by legal considerations, in particular the 10-year agreement Ebbw Vale and Llanelli claim they have with the WRU and which is legally watertight.

The key now is whether the Union offer will be enough to avert strike action. That is most unlikely.

As it stands the threat by the players is still on. Their representatives -- Quinnell, Rob Howley, Andy Marinos, Mark Taylor, Andy Moore and Nathan Budgett -- met the WRU before last night's meeting.

It is understood they told them that if their demands of six clubs from next season and financial security are not met, they will go home after they have reported for training on Sunday.

They will also in that event not train on Monday, and it is extremely unlikely they will be available for the game against England.

Then the WRU would have to consider their response, one suggestion being that those players involved would never play for Wales again.

The players and clubs want the six clubs in the top flight next season to be Cardiff, Llanelli, Newport, Swansea, Bridgend and Pontypridd.

But one idea put forward was that if the WRU do agree to six they would choose the clubs on their own criteria.

That has long been Wales director of rugby Terry Cobner's view, and the criteria would include fianancial and business plan, facilities, youth academy and community programmes.

The only clubs who could be certain of meeting all those criteria are Newport, Cardiff and Llanelli, with Swansea's position in the top flight under threat.

Meanwhile, the players are also believed to want a greater say in the running of premier rugby, worried about their loss of money