Ireland may lose H-Cup places, ERC chief admits
Derek McGrath, chief executive of European Rugby Cup (ERC), faced the media for the first time yesterday since news broke that English clubs have signed an agreement with BT Vision that would allow the broadcaster to show all of their games in Europe’s premier competition from season 2014-15.
ERC have reacted furiously, insisting that those rights are not Premiership Rugby Limited’s (PRL) to sell — and they nailed their colours firmly to the mast by hosting yesterday’s London Heineken Cup launch at Sky Sports, their preferred broadcasters.
Yet McGrath adopted a conciliatory tone, refusing to attack PRL for their decision and insisting all issues were up for debate at a meeting in Rome on Monday.
Key among those is the issue of qualification for the Heineken Cup, with PRL furious that only six of their 12 top-flight clubs progress to the pool stages, whereas Ireland and Wales are guaranteed at least three representatives each, with both Italian and Scottish teams also qualifying.
English clubs want only the top six sides from the RaboDirect PRO12 to be in the pool stages, and when asked directly whether McGrath could confirm he would maintain the status quo, the former Ireland international hinted that he may well be open to a change in the qualification processes.
“There are no guarantees, and that goes for every country,” said McGrath when asked if the Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Italian clubs’ places would not be used as a bartering tool to mollify their English counterparts.
“We need every stakeholder round the table. We are very early in the process and are putting on the table exactly what is up for discussion. Nobody more than I would like this scenario not to be spun out but we have to give it time.
“It would be unfair to talk about any country’s particular outcome as it is about the stakeholders and seeing what changes might be made.”
Yet McGrath rejected speculation the tournament could continue without the English or French clubs who, like their cross-channel neighbours, have served notice they will not continue in the Heineken Cup in its current guise.
“I think we all know how important the tournaments have become in every single country,” he continued.
“It is almost unthinkable that (a tournament without the English clubs) could happen. Our job is to ensure we find a way forward, which isn’t going to be easy — but it never is.
“To get 10 parties to agree on something means there might be challenges to their business model. This is an open opportunity to allow people to understand what we might do differently. What is important is engagement and recognition, respect for solidarity and the integrity of the competition and sovereignty. If we don’t have every party willing to approach that, we can’t go forward together.
“That clearly isn’t what we want but I have every confidence what we have achieved to date will be compelling enough for every stakeholder (to sign up to a new agreement).”
Yet it was notable that McGrath attempted to be civil about Mark McCafferty, his opposite number at PRL, refusing to show his disdain at the latter’s high-stakes move that could tear European rugby apart.
Jean-Pierre Lux, ERC’s chairman, said last week that PRL’s move was “illegal”, but McGrath went no further than saying he was surprised by their tactics as he bids to ensure there is still a competition after 2014.
“I think there was a lot of surprise and there continues to be, in terms of the decision to pre-judge an outcome,” said McGrath of McCafferty’s decision to make his move before the stakeholders discussed the next step.
“These are the first conversations we are having on this subject for five years so like any business, it would be a good time to stop and review, and consider what our future might look like. A fundamental concept of ERC has been not being afraid to break out of established modes of conduct and thinking and being ready to try things in a different way.”
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