THE Welsh Rugby Union and the four regions will meet in Cardiff next week to review and tweak their year-old accord, writes Chris Kirwan.

After a bitter, drawn out dispute the parties thrashed out a fresh Rugby Services Agreement last August but the tense nature of the discussions means the document is far from perfect.

The £60million deal runs until the end of 2020 but Martyn Phillips, who will take over from Roger Lewis as chief executive after the World Cup, said at his unveiling that he envisages the terms changing over time.

WRU chairman Gareth Davies, who took over from David Pickering last autumn after being Newport Gwent Dragons chief executive when the deal was struck, says there is already movement on that front.

He said: "The relationship (between the WRU and the regions) always needs working on and we've got a review of the RSA chaired by Sir Wyn Williams next week.

"That's purely to say, 'we are a year in, has it worked?' and I suppose the answer to that is yes but with a few nos.

"We need to look at why we have some things that haven't quite worked and inevitably that's down to certain things that neither party envisaged 12 months ago.

"That's not to say that we will be changing the RSA but it needs to be looked at and if there are tweaks to be done, agreed by both sides, then that will happen.

"When you consider the backdrop when the document was put together and the harrowing times, there was a lack of feeling between two parties.

"Now that has improved. It still needs to improve a hell of a lot more but it's a positive that both sides want to revisit the document."

Davies says that the process will profit from "a fresh pair of eyes" and Phillips intends to work with Pro Rugby Wales – the body that represents the Dragons, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Scarlets – before officially taking up his role in the autumn.

"It was a tough year and we don't want to go back," said the former boss of B&Q. "The RSA will evolve and is relatively new.

"A year is a long time. Whatever was right a year probably needs looking at now and will probably need looking at again.

"Rather than thinking we've cracked it and set it in stone and walk away, I would want to be talking to the guys. I'd love to build relationships and then keep revisiting it to make it better and better."