Rugby Union: Five Nations blow for England

England now look unlikely to participate in the 1997 Five Nations' Championship. The television sub-committee of the Five Nations committee meets tomorrow amid speculation that they are to recommend that England be kicked out.

Instead of getting a share of England's pounds 87.5m from BSkyB, the Five Nations will seek to negotiate their own live broadcasting deal with a terrestrial television company offering them exclusive rights for a four nations tournament featuring Wales, Scotland, Ireland and France.

The other four unions have contended that the Rugby Football Union had no right to include their two home Five Nations matches in their five- year deal with Sky.