WORCESTER Rugby Club could know this week whether they are playing for automatic promotion to the Premiership or a play-off spot this season.

The meeting aimed at breaking the deadlock between English First Division Rugby (EFDR) clubs and the English Second Division Rugby (ESDR) sides has been scheduled for Thursday morning.

Confusion over the future of rugby union has reigned since the summer when the Rugby Football Union decided to adopt Rob Andrew's blueprint for the future which included a five-year moratorium on promotion and relegation to the Premiership.

However, EFDR, the RFU and ESDR have been unable to agree on the new plan and after months of fruitless meetings, the RFU finally decided to appoint independent facilitator Oliver Popplewell to chair a new meeting with all parties.

And despite initial scepticism, it looks likely that all parties will be represented at Thursday's meeting.

ESDR chairman and Worcester benefactor Cecil Duckworth remains positive the meeting will provide a solution.

He said: "These are big decisions and generally when such decisions are made, there is a lot of negotiation.

"We are hopeful something positive will come out of the meeting because we are in November now and we still don't know what we are playing for this season."

Meanwhile, the Office of Fair Trading is due to make a decision tomorrow on whether EFDR acted unjustly in their decision to agree a moratorium on promotion to the Premiership. If it is proved they acted unfairly then ESDR will have more ammunition to go into Thursday's meeting.