The Six Nations Committee and the Welsh Rugby Union have resigned themselves to the fact there will be severe cuts in train services following next month's Wales v England international.

In a critical joint statement, the bodies said they had 'no alternative' but to accept the decision by Wales and Borders Trains and other rail operators to cancel services is final.

The game, on Saturday, 22 February, kicks off at 1730 GMT - but there will be no services east of Newport on trains heading for London and other English destinations.

Six Nations fixtures

Feb 15 - Italy v Wales (1330 GMT) Feb 22 - Wales v England (1730 GMT) Mar 8 - Scotland v Wales (1600 GMT) Mar 22 - Wales v Ireland (1400 GMT) Mar 29 - France v Wales (1300 GMT)

More news on Six Nations build-up

The train companies made the decision to cut services citing "serious risks to public safety" following an independent risk assessment by Wales and Borders.

Effectively, trains heading east for destinations in England will be cut from 1900GMT.

Extra services are to be laid on for fans trying to get to destinations inside Wales such as the south Wales Valleys, Swansea and the Gwent valleys.

Wales and Borders has been openly critical of the late kick-off for the match on 22 February, saying it placed huge pressures on the system.

In a statement, acting chief executive of the Six Nations Committee John Feehan said: "Their [Wales and Borders Trains] admission that they are so lacking in enterprise and competence that they are unable to meet this challenge is breathtaking.

"Thankfully, rugby supporters are made of rather stronger stuff, and we are confident that they will make appropriate alternative arrangements."

Mr Feehan thanked Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, - who had unsuccessfully intervened to try to get the rail company's decision reversed - for his "attempts to bring sanity to bear".

I trust that all those in authority are taking full account of the damage which this man has done to the credibility and reputation of Wales David Moffett

"It is clear he has left no stone unturned, and he must feel every bit as frustrated as we do," added Mr Feehan.

WRU group chief executive David Moffett launched an attack on Wales and Borders managing director Chris Gibb.

"This decision ... clearly stems from Mr Gibbs's perceived slight at having not been party to the talks concerning the kick-off time.

"That he should have attempted to dignify this decision by hiding behind safety, even to the extent of drawing an analogy with the Hillsborough disaster, is disgraceful."

Mr Moffett added: "I trust that all those in authority are taking full account of the damage which this man has done to the credibility and reputation of Wales.

"This has been a shameful incident."

Crush

A spokesman for Wales and Borders Trains said the main concern on the day of the international was the safety of travelling rugby supporters.

Eleven MPs had signed a Commons motion condemning the move and calling on the Strategic Rail Authority to force the rail firms to reverse the decision.

Previously, Mr Gibb had said they would not have had to alter services if the kick-off time had been earlier.

Wales and Borders Trains said it feared the 1730 GMT kick-off could cause a crush at the railway station, which is across the road from the Millennium Stadium.

The match has the later kick-off time to accommodate the broadcasting by the BBC of an earlier Six Nations clash between Italy and Ireland on the same day.