THE clubs who forced the May 14 extraordinary general meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union stepped up the pressure for the board's dismissal with a series of further allegations.

It means recent events such as a severance agreement with outgoing Wales national coach Mike Ruddock and the appointment of new head coach Gareth Jenkins have far from diminished their bid to force a vote of no confidence.

In a letter to fellow Welsh clubs, the so-called 'rebel' clubs' representative and former board member Howard Watkins, of Caldicot, makes fresh claims relating to, among others:

* the financial position of the WRU and Millennium Stadium plc for the financial year ending May 31, 2005;

* the board's apparent ignoring of the decisions of clubs at the May 2002 EGM which set out the structure for the future running of the WRU;

* the retrospective approval of the allegedly unauthorised and invalid decision of WRU chief executive Steve Lewis to terminate contract negotiations with Ruddock.

* allowing negotiations with Ruddock without delegated authority.

The letter also repeats previous claims, including:

1: The WRU board had failed to appoint a new group chief executive in place of David Moffett, contrary to the constitution.

2: Had breached the provisions of the WRU ticket allocation scheme.

3: Had allowed the executive board to usurp their powers and make policy decisions without and beyond authority.

4: Had failed to monitor the performance of the executive board and failed to ensure it was advised of the executive board's actions.

Watkins' letter suggests to clubs that "they ignore sentiment, friendship and pity for elected board members" and allow their representatives at the EGM to vote on the arguments and not be mandated to vote a certain way in advance.

It also reiterates that the requisitioning club's motion is one of no confidence in the whole elected board and that it is not possible to remove certain board members only.

It adds: "Does your club want an elected board of directors who do not understand their obligations; are not aware of their powers and/or are too weak to exercise them and an executive board who act continuously without authority... and who usurp the powers of the elected board in a non-transparent manner?"

The letter concludes by urging clubs to vote to remove the board, a course of action that has seemed to be losing backing in recent weeks.

The WRU is expected further to appease the clubs by at last advertising for a replacement for Moffett, with former Wales and British Lions outside-half, former Cardiff RFC chief executive and former Sports Council for Wales chief Gareth Davies seen as the man all sides would favour.