English and French Clubs to Abandon Heineken Cup for New Tournament

Top-flight rugby clubs in England and France have said they will set up a new European tournament to compete in rather than the Heineken Cup.

Last year clubs announced their intentions to pull out of the two European rugby competitions due to the differing ways teams could qualify for the Heineken Cup and how proceeds were shared.

Clubs from both nations argue that other clubs have an unfair advantage, such as those in the Pro12, which has no relegation, meaning teams can rest players in the league so they are fresh for Europe.

England’s Premiership Rugby said it had proposed a 20-team competition to replace the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup.

The statement however said that ‘discussions have been unsuccessful and the clubs can only conclude that negotiations on any new European agreement have now ended”.

It continued: “Given the importance and urgency of the current position, and the reconfirmation that the French clubs will not participate in any competition unless it includes the English clubs, the clubs have now asked Premiership Rugby to take immediate action to put in place a competition for 2014-15 to include the French and English clubs but which will also be open to teams from other countries.”

European Rugby Cup (ERC) runs both tournaments and said: all parties would be represented at a meeting in Dublin on Wednesday.

Their statement read: “While there is a shared sense of frustration among ERC’s stakeholders at the lack of progress towards a new accord, the meeting will provide an opportunity for the parties to review the consultation process to date.”

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