Rugby cup’s €44m windfall

The windfall to national rugby unions and clubs from the final year of the Heineken Cup totalled €43.59m, new figures show.

The data is contained in fresh accounts filed by Dublin-based firm, The European Rugby Cup Ltd (ERCL) that operated the competition since 1995.

The company last year lost the rights to operate the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup after a power-struggle with English and French clubs.