England's top clubs yesterday rejected a deal aimed at persuading them to drop their boycott of next season's European Cup. The chairman of the English Rugby Football Union (RFU), Cliff Brittle, this week had hammered out a new system for Europe which could have meant 10, instead of four, English clubs competing for the Heineken Cup, with more than £17 million available to English teams over the next four years.
In addition, European fixtures would be punctuated by league games, instead of Europe being played in one block of weekends during the autumn.
But English First Division Rugby (EFDR), which represent the 12 Premiership clubs, have written to Brittle informing him that the latest proposals have been rejected.
The EFDR chairman, Donald Kerr, said his organisation continued to be disappointed at the RFU's inability to thrash out a properly-structured season.
EFDR claim there would be only four Premiership games played before Christmas next season, while the first league fixture in 1999-2000 would not be until February 1st, 2000.
EFDR reiterated their stance that a strong domestic league programme is paramount, and have now submitted their own proposals to the RFU for an alternative European competition based on English and French clubs, plus other teams from Europe.
EFDR claim this would generate anything between £14 million to £20 million a year, while claiming that European Rugby Cup Limited's current proposals are only worth an extra £11,000 per club for next season.
EFDR chief executive Doug Ash said: "Much has been made of a new proposal to have 10 English clubs participating in the Heineken Cup, but we will only get 10 clubs into Europe in year four provided every club always reaches the quarter-finals, and from year three onwards we supply all quarter-finalists."
Bath are the reigning European champions, and would relish the opportunity to defend their trophy next season, but that again seems unlikely after the rejection of new ERC proposals.
Meanwhile, England's controversial summer tour is hanging by a thread after all 12 Premiership clubs withdrew support for the ambitious Southern Hemisphere venture.
And English First Division Rugby Ltd (EFDR) have also slammed England coach Clive Woodward for issuing an apparent sign up or stay at home ultimatum to his national squad.
The clubs backed Northampton owner Keith Barwell, who has pulled out his British Lions trio Tim Rodber, Paul Grayson and Matt Dawson from summer Test match appointments with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa so they can enjoy much-needed rest.
Northampton and current Premiership leaders Saracens are the only clubs whose players need permission from their employers to represent any other team.
