March 29 is D-Day for £5bn Nations revamp

a deadLine of March 29 has been set for unions to sign up to the nations Championship — backed by a sports marketing company headed by sepp Blatter’s nephew.

World Rugby revealed their vision for the sport yesterday in a meeting with leading officials in dublin. their annual nations Championship concept will be financed by in Front sports, based in Zug, switzerland.

the investment is worth £5billion over 12 years and their chief executive and president is philippe Blatter — whose uncle is serving a FiFa suspension after his time as president of football’s governing body was plagued by corruption.

in a statement released by World Rugby after the meeting,

chairman sir Bill Beaumont admitted: ‘not everyone is in full agreement on the way forward’.

it is understood that the irish and scottish unions remain fiercely opposed to the new model, which would involve six nations promotion and relegation.

Sportsmail can reveal that there is a very limited time-frame for unions to commit to the plans. they have until March 29 to sign offer letters and submit them to World Rugby.

if all unions do not sign up by that landmark date, two weeks from now, the nations Championship vision will be scrapped.