The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) officials have been criticised by church leaders over their poster campaign for next month's international against South Africa at Wembley.

The posters show coach Graham Henry surrounded by the team under a banner headline which reads Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer. Leaders of the Baptist union of Wales are asking members of its 530 churches to send letters of protest to the WRU.

Yesterday the rugby union insisted the posters were not intended to offend, nor contained biblical references. A statement from the WRU read: "It is disappointing to learn that our current poster campaign to promote the forthcoming visit of South Africa to Wembley has met with criticism from some quarters.

"It needs to be reaffirmed that the campaign has been designed to remind the Welsh public of the old, traditional hymn singing that went hand in hand with Arms Park international occasions - a combination that set Welsh rugby apart from all other nations.

"The words on the poster - `Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer' - make up the first line of Cwm Rhondda, the most famous of all hymns associated with those great occasions. There are no biblical references whatsoever and no intention to offend.

"The campaign aims solely to impress on the Welsh public the need to respect a togetherness of purpose and the need to reflect the atmosphere that made home games such unique occasions."

Wales, whose national stadium in Cardiff is being reconstructed in preparation for the 1999 World Cup, take on South Africa in the English capital on November 14th.