Format proposal for new European Cup nears agreement

The creation of a new European club rugby competition, most likely to be called the European Champions Cup in place of the current ERC-run Heineken Cup, has moved closer to fruition. An announcement appears to be imminent, but with nothing signed as yet, reports emanating primarily from France and England that confirmation will come today may prove premature.

Representatives of the respective stakeholders who are set to run the new competition(s), namely the English clubs’ umbrella group Premiership Rugby (PRL), their French counterparts Ligue National de Rugby (LNR) and the Welsh regions, along with the Six Nations, met in Dublin on Monday night.

Hopes that heads of agreement regarding a combined television deal in Britain involving Sky and BT, along with the outlines of the new competition module and organising body, would be signed by yesterday, did not come to pass. Given the need for any heads of agreement to be translated into French and Italian for all parties to agree to, much less sign, ratification may take another few days yet.

Significantly though, not least given some of those involved in the creation of a new tournament and organising body are also involved in ERC, an ERC board meeting followed yesterday in Dublin and it is understood some of the two tranches of prize money previously held back by the Heineken Cup organisers have been released.

Monies released
The monies had been withheld for fear of legal action by Sky on foot of their three-year deal for continuing rights to the Heineken Cup for three more years. That some of this prize fund has now been released strongly suggests this threat has been removed to at least some extent.

Clearly agreement has been reached on a broad range of matters, including a new 20-team format for the aforementioned European Champions Cup, which will incorporate six teams apiece from the English Premiership and the Top 14, along with seven from the RaboDirect Pro 12. This will entail at least one qualifier apiece from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy, with the remaining place going to the winner of a play-off between the seventh-placed teams in the Premiership and Top 14.

The remaining teams across the three leagues will feature in a secondary tournament to replace the existing Challenge Cup, while there are also aspirational notions of a third tier tournament involving developing European nations.