Newport Gwent Dragons have become the fourth and final region to sign up to the Welsh Rugby Union's five-year participation agreement. The Dragons had been in dispute over whether they should be financed as a stand alone or a combined region.
Under the agreement, the regions will follow a blueprint on finance, player commitment and youth development.
The WRU had withheld funding during the dispute, but the Dragons are now due several months' back payments.
Dragons directors Martyn Hazell and Tony Brown have financed the financial shortfall so far this season.
One previous sticking point had been the limit the WRU wanted to impose on the number of non-Wales qualified players taking the field for matches next season.
The WRU had wanted a maximum of two foreign players allowed but there will now be flexibility in certain cases.
The definition of a foreign rugby player is one who is not entitled to European Union working rights.
Fortunately for the Dragons, whose squad has one of the highest number of non-Welsh qualified players, South Africans and Pacific Islanders usually have EU working rights.
All four regions, the Dragons, Blues, Scarlets and Ospreys, will get the same finances next season in any case.
MMIX
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