THE top five Welsh rugby clubs, including Newport, have formed an alliance with their players to try to sustain professional rugby (writes Robin Davey).

The formal link-up is based on the English model and their Professional Rugby Players' Association. "We have got to make the point that professional rugby in Wales is unsustainable," said Newport chief executive Tony Brown.

"If club benefactors walk away it would result in the total collapse of the professional game.

"The individual owners running the clubs are finding the drain impossible to sustain, and can't justify the funding to keep professional rugby in Wales alive.

"Now, as a consequence of forming a new company between players and clubs, the object is to control the release of players for internationals and seek a share of the international revenue.

"Two thirds of that would go to the clubs and one third to a players' trust, the latter divided between what the players get now and after their careers are over.

"The aim is to have a professional game which is sustainable.

"No-one is seeking to make a profit, just reduce the losses. We hope to be conciliatory, we're not looking for confrontation. We're just trying to make the WRU realise the implications of operation a professional club in Wales."

The Wales tour to Japan and the British Lions tour to Australia this summer will not be affected by the moves.

First published on Tuesday 08 May 2001: