RFU promise to make peace
Rugby Football Union chiefs today handed England's top clubs a £1.2 million lifeline and the promise of professional arbitration to help find a new peace deal.
The First Division clubs were expecting to bank £1.8m each when they signed an agreement to the Rob Andrew plan for the future of the game but negotiations have been stuck on the rules for promotion and relegation.
The Second Division clubs want an automatic promotion place but have been offered a play-off against the bottom club in the First Division.
This has become such a contentious issue that the RFU management board are to invite all 26 clubs in both divisions to meet with an independent arbitrator in the chair.
The payment of £100,000 per First Division club will ease some of the financial pressures and Brian Baister, the RFU chairman, said "We hope the clubs will recognise that appointing an independent third party is the right way forward.
"An agreement must be achieved in order to ensure the long-term stability of the game."
