The English Rugby Football Union (RFU) have been fined £80,000 as the row over the running of the game continues. The fine, with £50,000 suspended pending future good behaviour, has been levied by the International Rugby Board (IB).

The row involves the IB, the RFU and the English clubs' umbrella group EFDR.

The clubs have appealed to the European Commission, claiming they should be allowed to organise their own competitions and television coverage. The IB want to retain that power and had struck a deal with the RFU to that effect.

Now the IB are claiming the RFU have reneged on that deal and withheld information that would have helped them in their battle with the clubs.

The latest fine results from a disciplinary hearing in December, which first announced the withholding a £60,000 grant over the RFU's conduct during the dispute over the Anglo-Welsh unofficial fixtures.