The Rugby Football Union (RFU) says England's bid to retain the World Cup will be jeopardised if their row with Premiership clubs is not resolved soon. The RFU and England's 12 elite clubs are at loggerheads over a number of issues, such as the release of players for international duty.
"We are at the 11th hour in planning terms," said RFU chief Francis Baron.
"We need every month to prepare the team and do everything else that is needed for a successful campaign."
An interim agreement has been reached for training days covering the autumn internationals but nothing is in place beyond 30 November.
That means England head coach Andy Robinson cannot plan for either the Six Nations or the 2007 World Cup in France.
"We need a minimum of two years to create our team for the World Cup," said Baron.
"If there is no agreement in three to four weeks we are putting in jeopardy our ability to compete at the level the country wants us to play at in the World Cup.
"We know what it takes and we are very concerned. We are very keen to negotiate a package that works for everybody.
"We believe the clubs want to support Andy Robinson in the next World Cup so I remain optimistic we will thrash out a deal."
The RFU and the Premier Rugby Limited (PRL), the umbrella body for the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs, exchanged proposal documents last week, which led to accusations the RFU are out to impose central contracts and buy up controlling stakes in Premiership clubs.
Baron rejected both suggestions as "selective and distorted leaks" and attempted to clarify the situation by outlining the nine proposals the RFU have made to kick-start further negotiations with the PRL.
Twickenham is willing to plough more money into the club game but Baron insisted any investment would "not be a controlling share and we would remain at arm's length".
 |  We are very keen to negotiate a package that works for everybody |
He added: "This is an offer, not a requirement. This is meant to be a helping hand. We have no intention of selectively investing in clubs."
The RFU have also proposed a �20m stadia development fund to help Premiership clubs expand their grounds.
But the RFU want "certainty of return" for their investments - and that means access to international players for five weeks over the autumn and eight weeks over the Six Nations.
During those periods the elite players - a group reduced from 60 to 30 - would be under the sole control of the England coaches.
For the remainder of the season the players would return to their clubs, with the RFU suggesting "tripartite contracts" between club, player and country.
The financial burden of covering the player against injury would be carried by the RFU, who would pay the wages with "clubs only contributing for matches played".
The RFU said these differ from the kind of central contracts the England cricket team have because Robinson would hold no authority over the players once they returned to the clubs.
Tripartite contracts have already been agreed in principle in the 2004 Long Form Agreement but are yet to be implemented.
Blocking off the season was originally PRL's idea but the RFU "bought into it" and would also bear the cost of increased Premiership squads to help clubs cover the four extra matches when the England players are unavailable.
"These ideas are on the table and not all of them will form part of the final solution but we need certainty for clubs, players and England," said Baron.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
