DURING the current debates on the many contentious issues that, are causing so much division and confusion in rugby, there has been a lot of talk emanating from the corridors of English rugby power at Twickenham. A favourite and recurring word used is priorities.

Principles are very often cast aside in the pursuit of so called priorities. Expediency in the unedifying pursuit of power, not to mention money, can he a greater motivating factor than standing firm on principles and honouring long standing agreements.

As we know so well from our own history, there is nothing new in the old divide and conquer philosophy. Our alleged betters and so called masters always knew what was best for us. The concept of the empire on which the sun never sets lives on in Twickenham.

Things, apparently, do not change much. Just look at what has happened and is happening in relation to the contract for the televising of the Five Nations Championship. Unilateral declarations of independence have never appealed much to the empire builders, but such activity is absolutely acceptable when the super power declares independence when it is convenient for them.

Bear in mind some of the statements that have been uttered from the committee room of the English Rugby Union - or as they arrogantly refer to themselves, The Rugby Football Union. Step forward Mr Tony Hallett, the secretary of the English Rugby Union. Hallett is scarcely warm in the secretarial seat at Twickenham. In his short tenure, he has probably issued more pronouncements than the combined total of his predecessors.

He has told us that the English decision to negotiate their own television deal is in the best interests of everyone. He has spoken of their primary position in regard to the renegotiation of the television contract. What he has not said is that England set the agenda to suit themselves, had their negotiations with Sky. Then, at the weekend, came the attempted seduction and coercion of the other unions. Rupert Murdoch's men work on the philosophy that every man has his price. Nothing new in that either.

We have had leaks and selective leaks of the money available for months now. As long ago as last October, the money allegedly available from Sky for the Five Nations Championship was published. Prestige enhanced, the value of shares increased.

Last Saturday, a courier was sent from Sky to Dublin to deliver envelopes to members of the European Rugby Cup committee who were meeting in Dublin. The letter for the IRFU was addressed to and handed to Tom Kiernan, chairman of ERC, by a third party. The tactics were carefully planned and the figures available to Ireland, Wales and Scotland appeared in some, English newspapers on Sunday. According to Hallett, the offer to England was in Twickenham and he had not studied it.

It is blatantly obvious that details of the offers to the countries were available to some club officials before they were known to the officials of the Unions who were getting the offers. It is a point not lost on Syd Millar, the President of the IRFU, and Tom Kiernan, Ireland's two representatives on the International Board and Five Nations Committee. Kiernan is chairman of the Five Nations Committee and Millar just happens to be Ireland's representative on the Television subcommittee.

The ink was not dry on the contracts before Gareth Davies, the chief executive of the Cardiff club, was urging the Welsh Rugby Union to accept Sky's offer. "It seems strange to me that Gareth Davies apparently knew the details of the offer before members of the unions concerned," says Kiernan. It is a pertinent observation. It is also a telling commentary on what exactly has gone on in relation to the television contract offers. There have been many fingers in the Sky pie. But then Davies, as we know, has long had his own agenda.

The Four Home Unions, in accordance with accepted practice, wrote some time ago to the different television outlets, terrestrial and otherwise, on the subject of the new television contract which will come into force the season after next. Enter the English Rugby Union, with their own agenda, and the accepted procedure was scuppered. When the Five Nations Committee met in Dublin over a fortnight ago, the English representatives made it clear that they would no longer be party to joint negotiations for the television contract. They were going it alone. England, in fact, already had their deal in place. Subsequent to that meeting, the other countries issued a statement saying England's actions and attitude were unacceptable and that unless they changed, the other nations would have to consider their future relations with the English Union not just in relation to the Five Nations Championship but at all levels of the game."

"The content of that statement is still what obtains and our attitude on the matter has not altered," says Kiernan. "I am now calling a meeting of the other four nations to discuss the matter. I will convene that meeting as soon as possible. Even if you look at the new offer to the individual countries, and even if all are offered more money, the fact is that under that deal England still proportionately come away with the major share," says Kiernan.

We have been told, too, that under Sky's deal, there will be no interference with the game's administration. Kiernan, Millar and officials of the other unions greet that with total scepticism - as well they might. There is already a clause in the proposal about money being distributed to clubs. And what about staggered kick off times and championship matches on a Sunday?

"What about the supporters of the game and those who travel for Five Nations Championship matches, are they not worth considering? Sky are making an offer to us and others on a basis we did not ask for or solicit," says Millar. "Any negotiations on the television contract must be done on a joint basis with the other unions," he adds.

"The Five Nations Championship is not England's to sell," says Ray Williams, one of the Welsh representatives on the International Board.

"It seems to me that some clubs have been influenced by Sky and that has had its own knock on effect," says Millar. "Are we to stand back and let England take the lion's share and then see their clubs take our players and those from Wales and Scotland? The Welsh clubs have already lost several players to English clubs: the more money the English get the greater the flow of Welsh players to England. The Welsh clubs must give that important factor vital consideration.

"There are many factors in relation to the televising of rugby internationals, and one is that we have a duty to bring the game to as wide an audience as possible. The value of the game goes beyond money. England has nothing to sell without the Five Nations Championship, except their club rugby and the occasional internationals against overseas countries. England should come back to the table again and talk the matter over and realise the full implications of their actions. We are all equal partners in the Five Nations series, that is the basic principle on which we have stood and that has not altered," says Millar.