THE Welsh Rugby Union appear to have headed off a further outbreak of hostilities with the regions during the autumn internationals.

For they have sent £100,000 to each of the four regions as compensation for releasing players for the fourth game against Australia at the end of November when they have Magners League matches scheduled.

Australia is an extra fixture outside the official International Rugby Board window, and it could well have been used by the regions as a further bargaining tool in their ongoing battle with the WRU over player release and the new participation agreement.

By sending out the six figure compensation figure well in advance the WRU clearly hope to head off more of the trouble which flared up a fortnight ago.

Then David Moffett, the controversial former WRU group chief executive appeared out of the blue to head up a new organisation called Regional Rugby Wales and immediately went to war with current WRU chief Roger Lewis in a row which he made personal.

The regions refused a request from Wales coach Warren Gatland for their players to be released during the final round of EDF Energy Cup matches last weekend and the IRB ruled they had no powers to intervene in an internal dispute.

Lewis then secured a High Court decision which effectively upheld a compromise offer by Gatland forcing the regions to release their players for the first part of last week, get them back for the weekend and return them for the whole of this week.

A furious Moffett said the WRU hadn’t heard the last of the matter and hinted that any international arranged outside the official window could well be targeted by the regions in future.

But the Union have stepped in again by sending the regions early cheques for £100,000 as the agreed compensation - a figure Newport Gwent Dragons still receive though they don’t provide any players to the Welsh team against South Africa compared with the Ospreys’ seven and Cardiff Blues’ five.

Moffett has been in touch for a second time with Chris Clarke, chairman of the Premier Division clubs though a meeting has still to be arranged. It is believed the regions also want to involve the Premier clubs in the dispute with the governing body.