WELSH rugby stars are threatening to pull the plug on their Six Nations clash with England on February 25 — by walking out on strike over cash.
All professional players in Wales are set to meet up next week to discuss the latest financial turmoil in their domestic game.
ReutersWales rugby stars are threatening to go on strike[/caption]
The WRU and the regions have not agreed a financial deal meaning new contracts cannot be signed and 70-plus players are in limbo.
Downing tools is the nuclear option, with many players fearing for their careers and lining up moves abroad, making most of them ineligible for international duty.
Currently, players cannot turn out for Wales unless they are signed up with one of the four regions — Cardiff, the Ospreys, the Scarlets or the Dragons.
Big-hitters with more than 60 caps, like 33-year-old Dan Biggar at Toulon in France, are exempt but Lions stars such as Josh Adams, 27, have to stay with their regions or sacrifice their Test career.
Cardiff boss Dai Young said: “The longer it goes on the more agitated players and staff will be.
“They just want to know where their future is.
“We could have the realistic situation of not being able to keep players we want to keep just because of the budgets.
“We will be cutting numbers and we will be reducing salaries because the game in Wales can’t sustain the salaries and numbers there at the moment, that’s a fact.”