 Wheeler fears losing control over stars such as Martin Corry |
Leicester chief executive Peter Wheeler claims elements within the RFU may be spoiling for a fight over central contracts for England players. The RFU has produced proposals for the nation's top players to be contracted to them rather than their clubs.
Wheeler said: "It would not surprise me if there were people within the RFU who were looking for a bust-up.
"There are people within the RFU who don't like the Long Form Agreement and they're now trying to unstitch it."
The current Long Form Agreement between Premiership clubs and the RFU is not due to expire until 2009.
Wheeler said: "I feel that we're approaching D-Day and that both sides are now prepared to seek a legal determination on this issue.
 |  We simply do not feel central contracts would work for the clubs or for the players |
"What would happen then is that both sides would be getting very expensive legal advice to say they'd got a rock-solid case.
"But both sides look as if they may be prepared to go down that route and go to the European courts."
Wheeler admitted Leicester have reaped the benefits of rugby's profile being raised by England winning the World Cup.
But he said: "We simply do not feel central contracts would work for the clubs or for the players.
"We're talking about a scenario where clubs could be having players taken away from them for half of the Premiership season.
"The Guinness Premiership is a very good competition and all we want to do is make sure what we've worked to build up is protected and improved."
MMIX
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