WORCESTER Rugby Club chairman Cecil Duckworth is preparing to go into battle with First Division clubs for a fair deal over promotion.

Representatives of the 14 Second Division clubs are set to declare a civil war with their First Division counterparts, after a four-hour meeting with the Rugby Football Union's chief executive Francis Baron at Sixways yesterday.

The clubs wanted to outline their concerns at the First Division's plans to reduce promotion opportunities to a play-off between the Second Division champions and the bottom First Division club.

The Second Division clubs, who are chaired by Duckworth, have now resolved to go through the courts to try and get the First Division clubs' decision overturned, claiming that their meeting was invalid.

There are also plans to call a special general meeting of the RFU, at which resolutions will be put forward to reinstate two-up two-down -- a principle which was approved at the RFU's annual meeting last month -- or for one automatic promotion spot and a play-off.

A special meeting needs to be called by a minimum of 100 clubs, so each club has been asked to find 10 others in their area to support them.

Duckworth, who has ploughed millions of pounds into the Worcester club to try and turn them into a First Division force, said: "I felt yesterday's meeting was an opportunity for other clubs to express their concern, because this is a really passionate issue.

"If you win the league you want to be promoted. We can't understand why the First Division clubs want to take away that right from us."

He said there is still a chance of reaching a compromise, adding: "If we can negotiate a settlement in the meantime we would like to do so, but if not, they leave us with that only option.

"There is resolve and determination to define the right, which has been enshrined in the game ever since the league started."

The First Division clubs have claimed they acted within existing contracts to sanction a play-off only next season, rather than the previously-agreed system of one automatic place and a play-off.