THE six leading clubs which make up the Premier Rugby Partnership of Wales have voted unanimously to throw out the idea of central WRU contracts for their players.

The row has moved to a war footing, as the leading clubs voted 6-0 to refuse to allow the players they have under contract to be controlled by the WRU.

That means the suggestions by Wales coach Graham Henry and by the WRU for three, four or five teams at premier level next season to compete in the Heineken Cup and Celtic League are dead in the water.

A WRU condition of any new structure is that they centrally contract all the players.

The clubs are adamant they will not give up their prize assets.

The two sides are now lining up firmly against one another, the six clubs -- Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Llanelli, Bridgend and Pontypridd -- even calling their own press conference in Cardiff tomorrow.

"There will be blood on the carpet over this," said one club source. "We are very rapidly approaching crunch time. There needs to be a meeting of minds, and egos have to be put to one side to take this forward."

One WRU source said, "It's going to be a showdown, it's going to be the gunfight at the OK Corall."

It appears the WRU could not even afford to take over the contracts of the leading players, given that they would have to honour those already in existence.

Clubs complain that the WRU has consistently fallen behind with its monthly payments, which it is committed to make to them.

The Union pays its nine clubs in the Welsh/Scottish League around £40,000 a month and there are fears some players will not be paid in time for Christmas.

Meanwhile, Vernon Pugh, chairman of the International Board and former chairman of the WRU, has entered the controversy.

He says Ireland and Scotland have planned their future, England are pulling in the same direction, but Wales are slipping fast.

He believes if Wales don't come to a sensible number of teams, club or district, of five or six, they will be down alongside Russia and Romania and will regret not taking 'this hard decision'.

Meanwhile, Newport benefactor Tony Brown has hit back at claims that Shane Howarth is earning £130,000 a year.

"He is not getting anywhere near that, and anyway it is between the player and the club," he said.

"Is it the WRU's money or is it Tony Brown's?"