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The threat of all-out strike action was dispelled yesterday when Aberdeen and Hong Kong Football Club, two of the five First Division clubs in the Foster's Premiership, said they would honour their commitments tomorrow.

 However, the fate of the other fixture in the First Division tomorrow, between DeA and Kowloon, hangs in the balance.

 Players from both clubs met after training last night to discuss the pros and cons of taking a stand against the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.

 The governing body on Tuesday rejected clubs' requests for funding to ease the burden of professionalism.

 Defending champions Valley, the fifth club in the reduced First Division league, have a bye tomorrow.

 A Valley spokesman has stated the club would go along with the position adopted by DeA and Kowloon.

 The decision of Aberdeen and Football Club to play is being seen as a split in the ranks. The clubs united last month to lobby the Union for help with funding and overseas players' visas.

 Aberdeen chairman Phil Morris said all their teams would play tomorrow.

 'Aberdeen feel there is plenty of dialogue still to be had with the HKRFU directors. While we sympathise with some of the frustration expressed, we feel strike action or the like should only be considered as an absolute last resort.

 'Most things in rugby should be sorted out over a pint of beer at the end of the day.'  Aberdeen's statement was issued before DeA and Kowloon players met last night.

 'The irony of the whole situation is that all the clubs got together in the first place to help Aberdeen out of their financial problem,' a senior Kowloon player said.

 'Now they have gone and broken ranks although I suspect a lot of pressure was brought to bear upon them.'  John Molloy, the Football Club's chairman of the rugby section, confirmed the club would be definite starters, saying: 'We are a rugby club . . . we want to play rugby.' 



Two clubs break ranks to play, watering down strike threat