WELSH rugby is on the brink of civil war with neither the WRU nor the top clubs prepared to back down in the battle over funding.

The most important meeting in Welsh rugby history tonight will decide whether the game survives or descends into chaos.

Club owners insist they cannot continue with their level of funding and are asking the WRU for similar levels provided in Scotland and Ireland, though still behind England. But WRU chief Glanmor Griffiths (pictured) told the Argus in an exclusive interview this week that they cannot bail the clubs out.

If the outcome of tonight's WRU general meeting is stalemate the players are likely to take action themselves because they are as fed up as the owners at the lack of structure, and they see their financial security threatened.

That means they will almost certainly go on strike, and may not even report for training on Sunday as the squad get together for the England match a week on Saturday.

If the Neath and Ebbw Vale players in the squad plus those from English clubs support their colleagues from the 'gang of six' Wales could face England with a team made up of players from Caerphilly and the Welsh First Division teams.

Newport chief Tony Brown insists the clubs are simply seeking a fair deal. "What we are asking for is a fair deal equal with other clubs who compete in Europe. We want to see our clubs properly funded," he explained.

"If the benefactors did pull out God knows where Welsh rugby would go." But Griffiths said: "The professional level of our game is proving hugely expensive to run and clubs are in danger of going out of business by living beyond their means. "The Welsh Rugby Union is not in a position to bail them out."

Brown says he can't go on funding Newport at the level he has, though he is committed to the club for another two years.

"I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about it all. I've had more aggravation with Welsh rugby in four years than I have in 40 years of running my own business," he said.

"It should be relatively simple, but it's a constant battle and nobody trusts anyone. Something has got to happen.

"I prefer to have dialogue and that we are all up front. "That doesn't appear to be there so the only weapon we have is the players. "It is all a great tragedy when you look at the potential and how we are all trying to revive Welsh rugby.

"The WRU organisation is archaic and well past its sell-by date in terms of what a modern corporate business should be."