WRU yet to confirm Australian Test

Deal or no deal: Australia are waiting to have their game with Wales confirmed

Wales' November Test against Australia could be in doubt after the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) revealed it had yet to agree the release of international players from their regions.

The WRU are currently locked in talks with the four Welsh regions - Cardiff Blues, Ospreys, Scarlets and Dragons - trying to secure the release of all international players.

Australia expect to play Wales at the Millennium Stadium on November 29, but as of yet the WRU have yet to confirm the fixture due to the ongoing talks with the regions.

Wales have already confirmed fixtures against New Zealand, South Africa and Canada for November, and are hoping to make a decision on the fourth Autumn Test in the near future.

"We are still in discussions about that game. We have been given permission to play the game outside the Test window by the International Rugby Board," WRU Group chief executive Roger Lewis confirmed to The Western Mail

"But it's a tight game for us financially, and we are still talking with the regions about how we make it work.

"We don't get any extra money from the broadcasters for this game so the margins are very tight for us indeed."

Only Wales' games against the All Blacks, the Springboks and Canada are within the agreed three-week window for Test rugby for next November.

Wales have asked and got special dispensation for the Wallabies clash, but it will come at a hefty price.

The WRU compensates the regions for every player on Test duty for Wales. But talks between the WRU and the regions have been on-going about the Wallabies game for months and still haven't been resolved.

The regions want compensation for the fixture - thought to be in the region of £15,000 per individual - to release any player for Wales. That means the WRU face a bill in the region of £500,000 for next Autumn's Test series.