THE Rugby Football Union have been given a Friday deadline to make a decision over relegation and promotion to the top flight or face court proceedings.

English Second Division Rugby clubs (ESDR), including Worcester RFC, have given the game's governing body a last chance to break the deadlock in talks over the issue which have now been dragging on for months.

Worcester's benefactor Cecil Duckworth, the ESDR chairman, has finally lost patience with the RFU after a December 31 deadline for an agreement to be reached was missed and playing regulations have still to be issued -- halfway through the season.

Clubs in National One and the Zurich Premiership have no idea whether they are fighting for promotion or against relegation because of the stand-off between England's 26 top clubs.

Unless a compromise can be found before Friday, Duckworth and ESDR officials will begin court proceedings on Monday to try and force a resolution.

If successful, the National One champions will be automatically promoted this season, while the runners-up will face a play-off against the second from bottom Premiership side in May.

Ironically, if ESDR win their case in court it could mean two National One sides being promoted to the Premiership at the end of the season rather than the one promotion place proposed in the recent Sir Oliver Popplewell inquiry.

English First Division Rugby clubs (EFDR) have still to make a decision on that deal which proposed one automatic promotion place for the next two years before reverting back to a play-off system in 2003.

England's elite sides were given until December 31 to decide on the proposal but after another delay, Duckworth said there was no other option but to threaten court proceedings.

He said: "As the governing body, the RFU could impose a system for this season but they've wanted a reach an agreement all along. However, it's outrageous that we are now half-way through a season and still the clubs do not know what they are playing for.

"The Premiership clubs know that we have been reluctant to take this course of action but they will drag this on until the end of the season if they are allowed to.

"This is the last resort, we have tried every other avenue and been unsuccessful. However, it is very sad that is has come to this."