IF regional rugby in Wales is not reduced from five teams to four the game at top level will die a slow death, claims Newport Gwent Dragons director Martyn Hazell.

Coaches, chief executives and team managers met yesterday to try to divide up the leading players of Celtic Warriors, who have been taken over by the Welsh Rugby Union with the almost certain intention of disbanding it.

The Dragons were represented by chief executive Andy Marinos and team manager Jim McCreedy.

But it is understood no firm agreement was reached about which players will go where and it will become a matter of negotiation.

Nothing is likely to be decided before the review conducted by WRU chief executive David Moffett is completed by next Thursday, cosmetic though that may prove.

Meanwhile, Warriors chief Leighton Samuel has claimed the Union takeover of the Warriors has not legally gone ahead and insists the Warriors will still be in existence next season.

And former Wales captain Paul Thorburn puts the blame for the current chaos at the door of Cardiff and Llanelli who insisted on standing alone rather than going fully regional a year ago.

Hazell says the reduction to four teams has to happen. "It's common sense that there aren't enough players or money for five regions," he said.

"If it keeps on going like it is then it will become a slow death for all of us. We might be able to keep it going for another year, we might not.

"Four teams means we wouldn't need to scour the world for players because there would be enough money to have players from this country, though there may be the odd player from overseas."

Hazell (pictured above) renewed an appeal for fans to get behind the Dragons and says the system will not revert to clubs.

"All we want is for people to join us," he said. "We should have a strong team and we are regional, we have got an academy that costs us a fortune. It won't go to clubs. It will be even more regional than before."

As revealed in yesterday's Argus, the Dragons would obviously be interested in Warriors backs Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper and Sonny Parker plus Gareth Wyatt while developing young back row or lock Ryan Jones is an ex-Newport player.