Crunch talks on the futures of British Lions stars Leigh Halfpenny and Sam Warburton will take place between Welsh rugby’s powerbrokers today.
Big money is needed to keep the country’s two highest-profile players in Wales and contracts need to be sorted for the Blues pair soon as top English and French clubs prepare offers.
The Professional Regional Game Board, which consists of WRU and Regional Rugby Wales chiefs, was due to meet to discuss the future of all the Welsh stars whose contracts are up at the end of the season.
As European champions Toulon prepare their audacious bid for Halfpenny the WRU has coughed up a £1m war chest to keep the star fullback and his Lions team-mates Sam Warburton, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones and Ian Evans in Wales.
Gallery: The amazing story of Leigh Halfpenny
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Today’s discussions are expected to focus on how the extra money can be divided in order to retain the country’s biggest assets.
The Blues pair and the Ospreys trio have been widely tipped to follow the likes of George North, Dan Lydiate, Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips, Luke Charteris and James Hook out of Wales and only unprecedented packages would keep them in Wales with mega money on offer elsewhere.
Giant wing North was sold for a six figure transfer fee by the Scarlets to Aviva Premiership outfit Northampton Saints while flanker Lydiate and centre Roberts signed bumper deals with Paris-based Racing Metro 92.
They have joined Bayonne scrum-half Phillips, lock Charteris and utility back Hook (both Perpignan) in all-star action on the other side of the English Channel this season.
Cheers for the right hook !!!! Haha @JonnyWilkinson #25stitches pic.twitter.com/d3hjVkyOgN
— mike phillips (@mikephillips009) September 22, 2013
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Wales’ regional entities Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets are desperate to hang on to their big names while national coach Warren Gatland and the WRU fear losing control of even more stars could undermine the back-to-back Six Nations champions’ chances of lifting the 2015 World Cup in England.
Superstar full-back Halfpenny is favourite to be named world player of the year after scooping the accolades as the player of the 2013 Six Nations and Lions series.
Gallery: Leigh Halfpenny’s magnificent Lions tour
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He is currently one of the most sought-after players in world rugby and WalesOnline understands European club champions Toulon are leading the race to sign the irrepressible goal-kicker.
The super-rich French club is preparing to table a big-money offer for his services as they seek to find a successor to England’s 2003 World Cup final winner Jonny Wilkinson.
If that deal was to go through it would be rugby’s equivalent of Real Madrid’s swoop for Gareth Bale.
Video: A tribute to Welsh rugby star Leigh Halfpenny
Lions and Wales captain Warburton is also on the short-list of a number of French clubs with his pal Lydiate’s Racing Metro keen on enticing him to Paris.  Â
Lock Alun Wyn Jones was pursued by Clermont Auvergne before he signed his last contract with the Ospreys while scrum rock Adam Jones is still a contender for the title of world’s best tight-head prop and lock Evans is a lineout specialist.           Â
Warburton is in line to make a comeback for the Blues against Leinster in the RaboDirect Pro12 on Friday night after recovering from the serious hamstring injury which curtailed his Lions tour of Australia. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
The flanker is expected to retain Wales leadership duties for the November clashes with South Africa, Argentina, Tonga and Australia at the Millennium Stadium. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Alun Wyn Jones stepped into the breach as the Lions walloped Australia during the third Test decider.
Which player(s) should the board prioritise? Have your say in the comments box below
Toulon target Leigh Halfpenny as Welsh rugby chiefs discuss new contract cash ...
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