A MEETING in Dublin this weekend will determine the future course of the Five Nations championship. The meeting will decide whether the competition continues as a five nation event or, instead, excludes England and becomes a four nation event.

The meeting has been called by Tom Kiernan, chairman of the Five Nations committee, and Ireland Scotland, Wales and France will be represented. It follows a meeting of the Five Nations television subcommittee last week.

Unless England come back with satisfactory proposals to end the impasse in relation to their unilateral deal with Sky TV, then the plans for a four nation tournament on a home and away basis, will be formally adopted and dates and venues announced. Everything is in place to go ahead.

"Obviously we have and are continuing to pursue a course to keep all avenues open," said Kiernan yesterday. "It would also be true to say that we have kept in touch with the English Union. As already announced, everything is in place for a four nation tournament. The meeting at the weekend will take place on Sunday or Monday. There is a meeting of the European Rugby Cup (ERC) scheduled for Dublin at the weekend and, following that, the four nations will meet."

There has been widespread conjecture over the weekend about England offering to share the revenue from Sky with the other countries for the championship. On that issue, Kiernan said: "As has been stated often, the issue is not just about money. That is only one element. There are other issues of great importance including the question of the timing of the transmission of matches on terrestrial television."

As has already been pointed out there on several occasions, if there is to be a settlement, it is imperative that England unravel their deal with Sky.

Nobody wants England out, but the manner and method of their deal with Sky cannot be accepted by the other nations. There is profound anxiety about Sky getting a controlling grip on the game. That anxiety has been expressed by, among others, Syd Millar, Ireland's representative on the television sub committee.

Vernon Pugh, chairman of the Welsh Rugby Union and of the International Board, has categorically denied reports that he has been in negotiation with Sam Chisholm of Sky. Pugh said he has neither met nor spoken to Chisholm.

Meanwhile, the latest threat from the English and Welsh clubs to break from their unions is indicative of the turmoil in the game.

However, there are several clubs in the English first and second divisions who would not be in a position to make such a break. While some clubs have come under the control of millionaire owners and benefactors, they do not represent the majority. The other clubs would all have to get a mandate from their members to take such action and that is very unlikely to be forthcoming.

Talk of an alternative Five Nations series, with England being represented by players from clubs who would leave the union, is also pie in the sky. For a start, the other countries would not do business with such a team.

"We deal with unions and not dissident bodies," said Millar yesterday. On the question of the television contract, he said: "There is an overemphasis in some of what I have seen and read on the money issue. It is not the main issue, there are many factors including length of the contract."

There is no doubt that many English clubs are disappointed and impatient with their parent union. To an extent, one can understand why. Twickenham is a house divided.

From an Irish perspective, it must be pointed out that the members of the Irish squad, whether at home or based in England, have signed contracts with the IRFU. The suggestion that Irish players based in England can get involved in an unofficial international competition should be discounted. Ironically, while the IRFU was criticised about the delay in the signing of player contracts, they are the only one of the four home unions who have the contracts with their players finalised, signed and in place.

In the midst of the debate on whether Wales, Ireland, Scotland and France will stand firm and go ahead with the four nation tournament, one very important matter has been forgotten. Not alone are the arrangements in place for the tournament, but there is also a written agreement, signed by all four, in place. The Protocol Agreement was signed in Paris by all four in July. The terms are quite specific.

Talk that France might break rank and play in some other tournament can be discounted. An integral part of the agreement is that none of the nations can participate in any other tournament. Should France want to play England in a one off match, it must take place between September and December and not interfere with the four nation tournament.

The strength of the English club game is often over stated. The attendance figures at the League One matches last Saturday are revealing. Saracens drew far and away the biggest crowd at 6,000 when they played Leicester. There were around 2,000 at Sunbury for the London Irish game against Bristol, and 1,500 at the Harlequins Gloucester match. Attendances at some other venues were even lower. The sponsors and the TV moguls will not have failed to notice those figures.

The Five Nations is the jewel in Europe's rugby crown. Sky television are aware of that, so too the RFU in Twickenham and the English clubs.

Meanwhile, there will be a decision this week on whether the date for the Ireland Australia match will be altered from November 30th to November 23rd. The tours and tournament committee of the International Board will meet in Dublin today and tomorrow.