AT the very time when the leading Welsh clubs had to make a statement they fall down - and how.

Obviously the future structure of Welsh rugby isn't down to one weekend, but given the delicacy of the timing with meetings going on and the debate at its highest over the provincial or club route, it would have been timely had the clubs made a statement.

But what happened? They totally blew it as they were all thrashed, with the notable exception of Llanelli, and even they struggled at home to Sale, clinching victory in the dying minutes.

But Cardiff, Newport and Swansea were destroyed, each one by English opposition, while Neath took the wind out of their own sails the week before by losing to Calvisano in Italy. Cardiff, Newport and Swansea conceded 113 points and 14 tries as they were hammered by Northampton, London Irish and Bristol, respectively.

To make matters worse London Irish and Bristol are at the bottom end of the Zurich Premiership.

It was the first time Cardiff have failed to score a point at the Arms Park for 30 years and it was Newport's heaviest defeat in the Heineken Cup.

So where now for the clubs? The weekend was a pretty shattering blow, for sure, and hardly helped the cause of any of them to stand alone.

And mergers are proving increasingly difficult to sort out ahead of Thursday's landmark meeting of the league management committee with chief executive David Moffett.

There is a huge problem with Neath, owned by the WRU; no-one wants to join with Swansea; Llanelli and Pontypridd wish to stand alone; Bridgend want to join with Neath not Cardiff or Pontypridd etc, etc.

Where is the unity the clubs must have if they are to persuade Moffett the future should be through them rather than provinces?

I'm certainly not going to change my mind now on the back of a bad weekend when a week earlier Newport, Swansea and Cardiff all won in the Heineken Cup, as did Pontypridd, Bridgend and Ebbw Vale in the Parker Pen competition.

But I fear the clubs are on a loser and can even imagine Moffett and Wales coach Steve Hansen giving a wry smile or at worst a smirk at the weekend results.

For it has provided them with all the ammunition they need ahead of this week's vital meetings.

And one of the club's number, Newport benefactor Tony Brown, actually believes Moffett has come in like a breath of fresh air, concentrating minds and forcing everyone to decide something soon.

The Welsh League programme which gets under way at last on Friday is now in grave danger of becoming a complete irrelevance.

If provincial teams is to be the way ahead or even if there are to be club mergers it doesn't matter a jot how league games go this season.

Finishing positions will count for nothing either way because it looks as though single clubs will not represent Wales in Europe or the Celtic League any more.

After witnessing rugby of a far higher standard in England at the weekend, to now watch Welsh teams battle it out, and in inferior conditions, is going to be a bit like watching paint dry.

London Irish, Northampton and Bristol played the game at a far higher pace and intensity than Welsh sides could manage, and quite frankly it was rugby on a different planet.

All of which throws into question fitness levels and attitudes of leading Welsh players. I'm not going to name names, but there are those who only mess about. They don't train at all on a Monday or Tuesday, often feigning injury, while going off and doing their own thing, and when they do train it's for a couple of hours a day.

But they're only too keen to pick up their handsome pay cheque at the end of the month. Compare what Welsh club players do in a week with those in England and you'll see a yawning gap.

Consequently, Welsh rugby really is at the crossroads and whatever happens I believe it could take a decade to turn things around so that Wales becomes consistently competitive again whatever the level.

It needs a complete re-education, a whole new raft of players with new leaders and then maybe, just maybe Wales will get it together again.

By which time most of us hacks will have retired or Bin Laden will have struck and we won't be here anyway. Happy Christmas!