 The WRU faces its member clubs on Sunday |
The Welsh Rugby Union has pledged an extra �1.7m in funding for their four professional regions and 245 member clubs after a record financial year. The regions will receive an additional �300,000 each and the WRU board are expected to ratify an extra �200,000 for the semi-pro Premiership teams.
An extra �300,000 is expected to go to the community game in the Asda leagues.
The move comes before an Extraordinary General Meeting on Sunday, where the WRU's finances will be questioned.
The Union's financial position has been fiercely disputed by legal experts from some clubs who say the debt is far heavier than claimed, comments greeted with fury by Union officials.
 | THE 'REBEL' CLUBS Bridgend Morriston Trinant RTB Ebbw Vale Blaina Newbridge Bonymaen Pontycwmmer Pontardawe Resolven Cwmgrach Usk Chepstow |
The clubs have tabled a vote of no confidence in the board and its executive, meaning that the entire board could be removed from office.
With 10 clubs needed to call an EGM, the Union were forced into the Cardiff City Hall meeting by a letter from 13 so-called 'rebel' sides, represented by former board member and current Chepstow RFC official Howard Watkins.
Aside from finance, criticism centres around six main points:
The non-replacement of group chief executive David Moffett after his surprise departure last December - notably that the clubs were not consulted over the decision not to appoint a successor The director's role being performed by Millennium Stadium boss Paul Sergeant since Moffett's exit The handling of former coach Mike Ruddock's departure - notably that the five-man executive board agreed his departure before informing the full board of directors The performance of the 17-man WRU board The WRU's criticism of clubs after international tickets found their way onto the black market and their ticket distribution policy Issues over lower league structures WRU chairman David Pickering and WRU chief executive Steve Lewis took a presentation - known as the "Red Zone Roadshow" - around Wales to answer criticisms, but unrest has continued.
Pickering has also since apologised to the clubs over the Union's handling of the ticketing argument, and a replacement for Moffett as group chief executive is expected to be announced soon.
But Lewis was bullish on the financial position.
"Having got our debt under control we are poised to announce record profits across the group," said Lewis.
"It is therefore only right that a large proportion of that money should be ploughed back into the game we service.
"It is no secret that the Celtic League is hoping to announce a major sponsor for next season.
"By that time we will have agreed a new four-year accord with our Scottish and Irish counterparts that will provide the backbone of the competitive season for our regions.
"When that is confirmed it will mean that for the first time Welsh rugby will have a sponsor at every level.
"Big businesses are investing large sums in Welsh rugby because they like what they see.
"They have watched our game restructure itself from top to bottom and emerge leaner, meaner and more in tune with the requirements of clubs, players and spectators.
"We have built a solid platform from which we can now move forward to gain greater success."
MMIX
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Big businesses are investing large sums in Welsh rugby because they like what they see