NEW Wales rugby chief David Moffett is planning more swingeing cuts, and it is believed he has ordered 50% cuts right across the board.

It is a desperate attempt to try to make inroads into the massive WRU debt, amounting to something like £60m, mainly on the Millennium Stadium.

Moffett is committed to trying to substantially reduce that debt, and it is believed he has controversially targeted the development of the game.

Chris Padfield, development officer for Gwent for the past 11 years, has been made redundant and so has the District A (Gwent) secretary who has been there two years longer.

That leaves director of rugby John Williams as the sole survivor in the department. Similar cuts can be expected in every district in Wales.

But even more controversially Moffett is believed to be considering axing the 50% the WRU pay towards Welsh League Premier Division club development officers.

That is a move which Ebbw Vale chief executive Ray Harris describes as "one of the biggest backward steps the WRU have ever taken."

And it will stun WRU director of rugby Terry Cobner, who has spent years building up development resources throughout the Principality.

"It's easy to come in and cut jobs, someone can come in off the road and do that," said Harris.

"But sometimes you can cut things which are irreplaceable. Terry Cobner has been on the verge of succeeding in what he set out to provide - the academies.

"There may be a lot wrong at the top, but you'd think we're finally getting it right with academies and some bloke comes in and says it's got to stop.

"There is talk about widening the base, but this seems to be destroying it.

"As a classic example, Newport Under-21s are a tremendous side full of class players with nearly every one an international.

"But there are another 22 at Ebbw Vale who have been picked up by hard work, yet they beat Newport.

"In future they will disappear because there will be nowhere for them to go. It is very worrying.

"You don't judge a man because he slashes jobs, but on what he builds. At the moment it seems daft."

The Newport Gateway and Second Half projects could also be affected by Moffett's plan.

He got rid of a whole raft of people within days of taking up his post, including Gwent's John Prince, Wales under-21s administrator, as well as the administration manager and commercial chief.

But it is Moffett's latest plan to cut from development which will cause a real storm.