THE threatened breakaway from the English Rugby Football Union (RFU) by England's leading clubs, due to take place tomorrow, has been postponed indefinitely. Instead, another round of talks between the RFU and the EPRUC (English Professional Rugby Union Clubs) will be held at an undisclosed London location in an attempt to resolve the year long dispute that has pushed the game to the edge of chaos.
Informal discussion between, representatives of both bodies has produced an outline peace formula with enough bonus points to persuade the EPRUC to put back its breakaway deadline until such time as talks collapse again (if they do).
In effect, the clubs, who have so far failed to secure a binding contract from Twickenham on the distribution of income and the control of competitions, have climbed down on the basis of a tacit understanding developed among the negotiators.
The RFU, however, which is as anxious as the clubs to avert a damaging split and further public mud slinging, has lined up a series of concrete proposals that it is understood will bring the clubs an income of about £50 million over the next five years, mainly from satellite television.
"If necessary the clubs and the union will continue their discussions over the weekend and into next week," an RFU spokesman said, adding he expected a settlement to be reached later rather than sooner.
In return for its cash outlay and for handing over the lion's share of control of domestic league and cup competitions to the clubs, Twickenham will expect firm guarantees from the EPRUC on the release of players for England's international matches and squad training sessions at senior, A and under 21 level. The conditions of availability will be written into the individual contracts Twickenham hands out to about 40 members of the England squad.
Yesterday the RFU treasurer, Colin Herridge, who is one of the four man negotiating panel due to meets EPRUC officials attended an England squad session at Bishin Ab - where he was jocularly crowned with a wreath of banana skins by the England coach, Jack Rowell. Herridge and his RFU colleagues, Cliff Brittle, Tony Hallett and John Richardson, will try to avoid stepping on any strategically placed banana skins tomorrow.
After putting his 51 man squad through a vigorous two hour session that included heavy contact, with the help of the assistant coaches, Les Cusworth, Keith, Richardson and Richard Hill, Rowell announced that he would designate the new England captain to succeed Will Carling "as soon as the dispute with the clubs is over". The skipper will be appointed initially for one season, Rowell explained, "to allow us to, see what he can do under a lot of pressure in a big job".
Tim Stimpson, the Newcastle, full back, could make his England debut in next month's international against Italy at Twickenham, Rowell hinted. "Stimpson is a player of international potential who can play the all round game: he is a very exciting player attacking from the back," he said.
