Rugby chiefs slammed by clubs
Rugby Football Union chiefs have been castigated by their leading clubs for not taking charge of the row over promotion and relegation from the Zurich Premiership.
The clubs claim the RFU have undertaken an "unacceptable abdication of their responsibilities" to run the game in England.
The RFU have called on the First and Second Division clubs - the two different sides in the argument - to meet in a London hotel with an independent arbiter.
However, the First Division clubs insist the RFU sticks to its earlier agreement to back their stance which only offers the Second Division a play-off involving their top team at the end of the season. The Second Division clubs want automatic promotion.
A statement from English First Division Rugby said: "EFDR calls on the RFU management board to stand by this agreement reached with EFDR and have the conviction to sell them to English Second Division Rugby, the RFU Council and the rest of the game.
"EFDR finds the RFU statement extraordinary and the suggestion of bringing in a professional facilitator to be an unacceptable abdication of their responsibilities as the governing body of the sport."
