RFU pledges support for Cup

Twickenham has extended an olive branch to England's Premiership clubs aimed at persuading them to take part in next season's Heineken Cup. Together with the French Rugby Federation, the Rugby Football Union yesterday issued a joint statement pledging its support for a club competition and distancing itself from an Anglo-French tournament.

Cliff Brittle, the RFU chairman, has adopted the role of peacemaker, promising to work out a programme that suits the clubs' needs and to achieve a better share-out of cash.

The statement of aims, which was signed by the French president Bernard La Passet, has been endorsed by European Rugby Cup Limited, the organising body of the first three tournaments.

The huge success of last weekend's European final in Bordeaux, where Bath defeated the holders Brive, has stimulated the French and English unions to take prompt action to save the competition.

Last month the English clubs made a surprise decision to withdraw from next season's European Cup for commercial and competitive reasons.

The two unions plan to seek agreement under three main headings: A structured season agreeable to all clubs and unions. A fairer distribution of monies for all participating teams. Participation based on league position.

Bill Beaumont, chairman of the RFU's national playing committee and an ERC director, must first regain the confidence of the clubs as their representative before he has any chance of working out an agreement.

According to the joint statement: "The FFR and the RFU have agreed they will not support any Anglo-French clubs competition which is outside the organisation of ERC Ltd. Our unions totally support the European Cup currently organised by ERC Ltd and will be working on behalf of our clubs to bring about agreement within ERC Ltd on the main issues."

The biggest obstacle to an agreement could well be the English clubs' insistence on greater control of scheduling and income. The clubs also want the Premiership to have priority, with virtually every Saturday before Christmas given over to league games.

Meanwhile, the England squad flew into Paris last night to set up their headquarters at a Versailles hotel and begin final preparations for Saturday's Five Nations opener against France.

Clive Woodward, the England coach admitted: "I'm feeling more nervous about the Five Nations than I was over the four games we played against Southern Hemisphere sides before Christmas. They bring their own kind of pressure because we are expected to win the championship - there are no prizes for coming second."

However, Woodward underlined the value of having "cool heads" in the England line-up. "The passion and fury of an England-France match will still be there but you can't assume you can just go out and wind the French up and they lose their rag. Those days are long gone. You can't just take them on physically either, though I do think we have a bit more than them in that area."