Davies deal in doubt

Cardiff rugby union club may not be able to afford Jonathan Davies. Warrington yesterday told Cardiff, one of three clubs who have tried to tempt Davies back to his roots, that the 33-year-old Welsh rugby league captain can leave, but only with a hefty compensation payment. And any deal will be done after the Halifax Centenary World Cup.

Graham Armstrong, the Warrington chief executive who met his Cardiff counterpart, Gareth Davies, yesterday, said: "We had a 75-minute meeting at the motorway services and Cardiff have now made an official approach. However, Cardiff made no professional proposals and we stated our position clearly.

"Jonathan is under contract with us until June 1997. He is not on the transfer list and is not for sale. We want him to stay but, if he ever did leave, we would insist on compensation on top of his contract payments."

Gareth Davies said: "It was up to Warrington to discuss it and come back to me which they will probably do next week. But there is no big money in Wales to buy contracts and Cardiff cannot afford to buy Jonathan out."

Davies, who turned professional from Llanelli for Widnes almost six years ago, joined Warrington in July 1993 when the Chemics were unable to afford his contract payments, reportedly pounds 75,000 a year.

Clive Griffiths, who is Wales' rugby league coach and also Warrington's assistant coach, has criticised Cardiff's actions, which he said had affected Welsh preparations for Monday's cup opener against France. "Jonathan wants to concentrate on the World Cup and everything else has been put in the background until the competition is over," he said.