Heineken Cup no nearer a resolution

[MPG]

Off BBC website ticker tape but no link to any news yet

"RUGBY UNION English & French clubs propose new European competitions for next season to replace Heineken & Challenge cups"

[tigerburnie]

"Given the gravity and urgency of the situation, the TOP 14 clubs would like to remind that they will only participate in competitions involving also English clubs. They also asked the NRL to take steps to implement a competition for the season 2014/2015, necessarily involving English clubs and French clubs which will be open to other nations."

[Tweentown]

The awaited statement seems to have been issued about half an hour ago - see link http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/176 ... i9M_X90nKc.

As I read it, premiership rugby intends to organise a new competotion for the English and French teams and teams from 'other countries' are invited to join (if they wish).

[Bill W (2)]

Ergo, WRU and IRU ball in your court!

[jgriffin]

So much for the hypothesised English-French split and the idea that it all was a bluff. The open door is for the Welsh primarily, and is a challenge to the authority of the WRU vs the clubs. Having said that, I think the first to jump ship will be the Scots, don't know why....just makes sense if they have ambition.
This is a pity, ERC just got too devious for its boots with the Lux election fiddle, and IMO that was the catalyst.

[tigerburnie]

This is a shame to be honest, there will be losers on all sides, I fear. It is a shame that the ERC couldn't negotiate BEFORE the PRL and French gave notice, maybe too late now, so an Anglo-French competition with:_
Italians?
Scottish(will BT pull some strings?)
Welsh(WRFU desperate for cash?)
Irish if what I read on the Irish forums, I doubt it.
Would there be a second tier, sure the others would join if there was promotion/relegation to entice them, such as Russia, Georgia, Portugal, Spain et al.

[Bill W (2)]

This is a shame to be honest, there will be losers on all sides, I fear. It is a shame that the ERC couldn't negotiate BEFORE the PRL and French gave notice, maybe too late now, so an Anglo-French competition with:_
Italians?
Scottish(will BT pull some strings?)
Welsh(WRFU desperate for cash?)
Irish if what I read on the Irish forums, I doubt it.
Would there be a second tier, sure the others would join if there was promotion/relegation to entice them, such as Russia, Georgia, Portugal, Spain et al.

Difficult to see how the French or English can lose.

The Welsh, Irish, Italians and Scots will all lose financially.

But it was always going to be thus.

IMHO the Irish will be first to crack - despite their blag on forums!!

[welshy08]

The welsh regions are this week (I believe) going to sign another 4 year participation agreement with the WRU ..so they aren`t joining anything.

[Bill W (2)]

In four years time RFU will buy Millenium Stadium at 5c on the $1


Regions will dissappear as professional clubs

Sad

[yellow_balaclava_hunter]

The Regions signing a new deal doesn't preclude the Welsh clubs from joining the English and French clubs in a new competition.

That would render the regions (who have been a complete failure) as pointless organisations.

[Bill W (2)]

The Regions signing a new deal doesn't preclude the Welsh clubs from joining the English and French clubs in a new competition.

That would render the regions (who have been a complete failure) as pointless organisations.

What does this say for the WRU??

[daktari]

Seems the Pro12 board believed the English and French would not be able to organise a cross boarder competition, would see plays leave and financial loss (not sure where they thought the players would go?) Looks like they have badly mis-judged the situation.

[CitizenSmiff]

I've lost any faith that these negotiations are being conducted by professional adults as the tone of the debate very much resembles two teenagers scuffling in the street. If they can't even get a framework down on paper with this much notice how on earth are they going to handle the logistics of a major multinational competition?

[yellow_balaclava_hunter]

The Regions signing a new deal doesn't preclude the Welsh clubs from joining the English and French clubs in a new competition.

That would render the regions (who have been a complete failure) as pointless organisations.

What does this say for the WRU??

Winning Six Nations championships when other countries are rebuilding for the next World Cup may keep some of the Welsh supporters happy but there are many who you speak to in pubs who support their clubs and resent the forced situation of regions whose sole purpose is either to win a Heineken Cup or keep players fresh for the national side.

If the regions had managed to win Heineken cups then maybe it could be justified but many support their clubs and want to see them have a chance to succeed on a bigger stage.

The WRU on the other hand is only interested in itself.

[tig1]

The roadmap for what the celts are doing is the same as the financial crisis of recent years. Beaurocrats so full of their own hubris they think they are immune from economic reality.

The problem with these people is that so determined are they to hold onto a system that they have grossly benefited, they go down kicking and screaming with no interest in the people they are supposed to represent..in this case rugby supporters, and the game of rugby. Self interest is the only interest for these people. They will take the system down before they willingly give up their own benefits from it.

Rant over