STEVE Lewis, who was Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive between David Moffett and Roger Lewis, has grave doubts whether the two can reach an amicable agreement in the row between the Union and the regions which Moffett now represents.

And Lewis, the former Ebbw Vale player now helping run the club and living at Abergavenny, believes it was a sad day when the courts had to intervene in the escalating dispute.

Moffett reappeared a week ago in a bolt from the blue to act as interim chief executive of a new body called Regional Rugby Wales to act for the regions after they refused to release their Wales squad players a week early for Welsh training ahead of next week’s game against South Africa.

After the International Rugby Board said they had no powers to intervene in a domestic dispute, heralding a victory for Moffett and the regions, Lewis obtained a High Court ruling that the players had to report for Wales training for the first three days of this week before returning to their region for the weekend’s EDF Energy cupties and then reporting back for Wales next Monday.

Lewis has worked with both Moffett and Lewis and says: “With relations so low it is very unlikely that the parties can arrive at a win-win situation. We are, therefore, inevitably looking at a win-lose outcome which by their very nature tend to be unstable over time.

“It’s a sad day for Welsh rugby when any of the stakeholders has to resort to litigation to come to an agreement when in the past it has been done by goodwill.

“The players turning up for training is great news for Warren Gatland and the fans because they will be able to take on South Africa with an acceptable time for preparation.

“But it is concerning how deep the cracks were between the regions and the union and how long it will take to heal the rift.

“The fourth international (the November 29 game against Australia) is outside the official window and the release of players is dependent on the regions’ goodwill, which may not be forthcoming due to the fact that relations have now hit rock bottom and can’t go any lower.”

Lewis draws a comparison between the trouble in Wales now and organisations set up at premier level in rival countries.

“The fact is that the regions need an umbrella organisation like Premier Rugby in England and similar bodies in France and Italy. Wales need a body which represents the professional teams.

“I’m a bit surprised it’s taken so long, but the amount of goodwill that existed with the regions has been seriously eroded and led them to form this group.

“Once formed that company is then at liberty to decide who they want to represent them, and they believe David Moffett is the man to do that.

“The only thing that surprised me is that Welsh rugby being what it is no-one knew about it until it happened.

“I don’t know the contents of the current participation agreement, but Regional Rugby Wales will follow the Premier Rugby model and they will want representation on the WRU board and Heineken Cup and Magners League boards with joint sponsorship and merchandising opportunities.

“They may also want to be involved in negotiating broadcasting agreements, so we don’t know where this is going. The Welsh Premier clubs could follow the same path and be part of the same body as well.”

Lewis claims that personalities have to be taken out of the equation, though he’s not hopeful. “It’s not about Roger Lewis or David Moffett but about the organisations they represent because they will go on long after them,” he said.

“They will have to act in the best interests of the organisations and in the best interests of Welsh rugby. But they will have to meet and sort out the way ahead pretty quickly.”