Welsh rugby's day of destiny has arrived with every professional rugby player in Wales being told it is "imperative" they attend a crunch meeting today (Wednesday).
Those who run the game in Wales will face players to try to address concerns over the contracts controversy that has left Saturday's Wales v England match on the brink of a disastrous cancellation. Follow live updates here.
WalesOnline understands players are largely in the dark over what is coming, with meetings between national squad members and WRU and PRB chiefs so far proving fruitless in finding a resolution despite Warren Gatland's confidence the dispute would be sorted by the end of Tuesday.
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The immediate focus is Saturday's Six Nations clash in Cardiff, a match worth nearly £10million to the WRU. But it is no exaggeration to say the long-term future of the Welsh game is also at stake.
Trust between the three major stakeholders - the WRU, regions and players - is at an all-time low, along with the reputation of Welsh rugby.
Against that backdrop, every professional rugby player in Wales has been urged by the Welsh Rugby Players' Association to attend a "Town Hall" meeting with powerbrokers at the Vale Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, with reps describing it as "imperative".
That meeting will follow a PRB meeting in central Cardiff, where further discussions will be held on what can be put to players as well as how a new funding agreement for the game as a whole can finally be rubberstamped, lifting the contract freeze that has caused so much anger.
A vote will also be held to finalise changes to the 60-cap law. Wales players have demanded it be scrapped by the end of Wednesday but it's understood a compromise will instead be found. WalesOnline has learned there has been a stark difference of opinion over the cap law between the WRU, Rugby Management Board and the PRB. One party wanted it scrapped entirely, another wanted it at 20, while the regions preferred 40 caps, but in the end the direction of travel seems to be settling on 25, although this could yet change at the last minute.
While that issue may end in compromise, convincing players over the fixed-variable nature of the new contracts they will be offered remains the trickiest proposition. Players are adamant they won't budge in their refusal to accept 20 per cent of their salaries becoming bonus-related. WRU and PRB bosses now have just hours to find a solution.
Would you support Welsh rugby players taking strike action amid contracts turmoil? Have your say here
Many players' gripes lie with the union over a lack of investment in the pro game, but there's also consternation over the standardised contracts the regions have drawn up alongside the WRU. The complexity - as well as the lack of trust - between the three stakeholders only makes compromise all the more difficult when it comes to avoiding the nuclear option of a strike.
Tuesday had been a day when Wales were set to name their team for the clash against England - something that would have been a brief distraction from the ensuing mess. However, that never materialised.
Due to the ongoing uncertainty, that plan was scrapped - as was the afternoon training session.
Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Gatland had seemed hopeful that a resolution would be found the end of the day. Certainly, he seemed confident that a compromise would be made that would allow the match to go ahead.
However, a meeting that took place on Tuesday afternoon reportedly didn't go as planned. No white smoke emerged on Tuesday night, paving the way for a dramatic Wednesday.
Certainly, by the time Wales players left their base at the Vale Resort on Tuesday evening ahead of a scheduled day off, they were none the wiser on what lay ahead.
Read more:
Warren Gatland confident Wales dispute will be resolved today as training session called off
Wales cancel team announcement as Warren Gatland to hold press conference amid strike threat
Today's rugby news as Welsh game faces two possible strikes and Wales cancel team announcement
The Wales Six Nations team that Warren Gatland should announce to face England
Welsh rugby powerbrokers clash on 60-cap rule as clock ticks down on strike threat
