THE live television rights for the Five Nations Championship, the issue at the centre of the protracted dispute between the English Rugby Union (RFU) and the unions of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, will be shared between satellite and terrestrial channels for five years, starting next season. The money from the sale of the rights will be shared four ways between the home unions.

Those basic principles are now enshrined in a legally binding document and are the product of the accord reached in Bristol last week between the four home unions. The French Rugby Federation (FFR), who negotiate a separate television deal with French television, has signed the accord. The position of the FFR with regard to broadcasting rights is acknowledged.

Central to this accord is the acceptance by the RFU that they had no right to negotiate a separate television deal with BSkyB for the live broadcasting rights to England's matches at Twickenham for a five year period starting in the 1997-98 seasons. But equally the accord recognises and acknowledges that the RFU is tied into the agreement signed on June 6th with Sky television for the live transmission of England's home matches in the Five Nations.

There has been an acceptance that all matters relating to the championship are now returned to the auspices of the committee and will be managed, controlled and directed by the committee. While a simple majority will suffice to decide most matters, it will require a unanimous vote to make any change in the apportionment of money or any other union being invited to join the championship.

So no more unilateral television deals by individual unions. No more gentlemen's agreements either. The word is no longer taken as the bond, the bottom line is the legally binding signature on the agreement.

These decisions were announced at a Five Nations press conference in Dublin yesterday presided over by Tom Kiernan, chairman of the committee. Most questions about winners and losers were caught by those at the top table with the expertise of the accomplished slip fielder, but the odd ball went to ground on a few occasions.

indeed such was the degree of sweetness and light, unanimity of purpose and mutual compliments that flowed from on high, that one was left to wonder how in heavens name it was that such a bitter and contentious dispute could ever have reached the crisis point it did and how this dispute was allowed to tarnish the game's image as it unquestionably did. But then of course, money does at times triumph over principle. However, the views expressed yesterday were that in the end rugby is the real winner.

But persistence brings its own reward. No matter how cleverly couched answers may be. Cliff Brittle, chairman of the RFU executive and a man who is on record as having been against the deal the RFU did and the way they did it, had to concede that the terms of the agreement are in themselves a clear admission from Twickenham that the RFU had no right to sell what was not their property.

But there has, too, been an acceptance by the other nations that some of the championship matches, in addition to all of England's home games over the next five years (as per their deal with Sky) will be transmitted live on satellite television. That issue was no less important than the money.

The agreement reached will be in place for a minimum of 10 years and embraces a guarantee that a fair proportion of the matches in the championship are broadcast live on terrestrial television. What constitutes a fair proportion has yet to ascertained but Vernon Pugh, chairman of the TV sub committee said, "We have taken sensible and commercial decisions, but we have a duty to the public and a fair proportion of the matches will be transmitted live on terrestrial television - at least 50 per cent."

The deal that England did with Sky was for £87.5 over five years with £65 million of that being for England's home internationals against all countries. An independent valuer will now decide what proportion of that £65 million should be set aside for the Five Nations rights and what proportion of that will go to the RFU for other internationals at Twickenham. All countries have agreed accept the valuation. The sum of money the valuer puts on the Five Nations part of that deal will then be put into a communal find and distributed equally between the five competing nations.

In the championship context, the RFU deal with Sky is only for England's two home matches annually. In addition to that money, Sky television and the terrestrial channel chosen by the Five Nations committee will also have to pay for the rights to the other eight matches in the championship over a five year period.

While the TV rights went out to tender some time ago, that is no longer valid because of the accord and the changed circumstances and the championship broadcasting rights will now go out to tender again to satellite and terrestrial companies. In those circumstances it is difficult to be specific about the exact sum of money that will be available for distribution, but something in region for £130 million is not an unreasonable sum. That would mean each nation would get over £32 million for the five years. Pugh said he hoped that all aspects of the television rights will be in place by the end of the year.

Kiernan paid tribute to those who had helped broker the accord: "We are delighted and relieved that the championship has been restored." He also expressed confidence that the conflict will not leave any lasting scars.

IRFU president Bobby Deacy, said: "It is with a great sense of relief and satisfaction that I, on behalf of the IRFU, greet the conclusion of the Five Nations television issue. I want to thank and congratulate our representatives Tom Kiernan and Dr Syd Millar for the work they put into gaining this satisfactory resolution in association with other unions."