Premier Rugby negotiators will resume talks with Twickenham next Tuesday about the management of elite players after being given unanimous backing by club owners over proposals to end the infighting that has dogged the professional game in England in its 11-year history.

Premier Rugby's chairman, Tom Walkinshaw, yesterday addressed a meeting of club owners and chief executives at a Heathrow hotel and outlined plans drawn up with the Rugby Football Union which would see the wages of England's 32-strong elite squad footed by the governing body, with the clubs holding their contracts.

The players would make between 12 and 22 appearances each season for their clubs, who would be able to use the extra money to increase the size of their squads with the salary cap rising to at least £3m. There would also be financial incentives for clubs to field predominantly England-qualified players in their match-day 22s, and players would spend the entire autumn international and Six Nations campaigns with the national side.

Wales may be without their former captain Gareth Thomas for their Six Nations opener against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday week. Thomas was yesterday charged by European Rugby Cup over his behaviour towards visiting fans at Toulouse's final Heineken Cup pool match against Ulster last Sunday.

Thomas is accused of "aggressively attempting" to enter a seating area and/or making an offensive hand gesture towards spectators. The incident happened after the Toulouse second-row Trevor Brennan had an altercation with a spectator while warming up as a substitute. Brennan has been charged with entering a seated area and assaulting a spectator.

ERC is also examining the behaviour of some Ulster supporters at the game, and whether Toulouse failed to control their players. A date for the hearings for Brennan and Thomas has yet to be set.

Thomas is being seen by Wales as an outside-centre against Ireland, with Sonny Parker injured and Tom Shanklin regarded as doubtful. Shanklin, who has not played since the middle of last month, has withdrawn from the Cardiff Blues side to face Glasgow at the Arms Park tonight after failing a fitness test on his thigh.

Injury worries have forced France to postpone until Sunday naming the squad for their Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome a week tomorrow. "There are too many uncertainties," said their team manager Jo Maso, who had been expected to reveal the 22-man squad yesterday.