JOHN Brain believes Rugby Football Union chiefs are "detached from the reality of professional rugby" and has backed the Premiership's decision to withdraw from next season's Heineken Cup.

England's 12 top-flight clubs have voted to skip Europe's top competition if their French counterparts carry out a tournament boycott threat.

The French will decide today whether to go through with their walk-out, leaving the RFU and Premier Rugby - who represent the Guinness Premiership clubs - playing a dangerous game of brinkmanship.

But Worcester director of rugby Brain is adamant the blame for the crisis lies with Twickenham's top brass.

He said: "I don't think there is any point in a Heineken Cup without French teams because it is a European Cup and to conduct a European Cup without the French is ludicrous. I fully support the stance that is being taken by Premier Rugby.

"All that they are arguing for is an equal say in the future of the game which, considering they have bank-rolled professional rugby in this country for the last 11 years, is not unreasonable. This has got nothing to do with player burn-out. This argument is to do with the control of top players in this country.

"The fact is the RFU did not think professional rugby was going to succeed so they did not contract their leading players when the game went professional and they are now paying the price."

While Brain has not gone as far as his Harlequins counterpart Dean Richards, who has called for changes in personnel at Rugby House, he admits RFU bosses are out of step with the domestic game.

He said: "The English game seems to attract a certain type of person that is maybe detached from the reality of professional rugby, that doesn't have to do what I have to do every day and doesn't understand what the players have to do."