Saracens 46 Clermont Auvergne 6

The two-year disagreement over the future of European club rugby has been resolved.

Work on European club rugby’s new elite tournament will be put on hold over the weekend and resume on Monday.

Heineken Cup bosses hope shareholder power can force the release of overdue tournament appearance fees after a second board meeting in three weeks failed to break the impasse.

Europe’s top clubs will seek assurances from Heineken Cup organisers European Rugby Cup over tournament participation payments on Wednesday.

English rugby chief Ian Ritchie was embroiled in a last-ditch attempt to solve the European rugby crisis on Thursday as he met union bosses in Dublin.

Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty has revealed that alternative plans to the Heineken Cup will be drawn up as quickly as possible.

Premiership Rugby’s major shareholders are set to meet this week following latest developments in a crisis that has gripped the European club game.

England’s clubs could yet be involved in a tournament run by European Rugby Cup next season if they secure the assurances that it will be replaced for 2015-16.

England’s clubs have edged back from the brink of exclusion from European competition next season following a dramatic day in a dispute destined to continue for another year.

England’s clubs have edged back from the brink of exclusion from European competition next season following a dramatic day in a dispute destined to continue for another year.

It now looks certain that the Heineken Cup will continue into next season.

Progress has been made “on a number of issues” in the ongoing tussle surrounding European club competitions, independent mediators Graeme Mew and Stephen Drymer said on Thursday.

Wales’ four regional teams have pledged “full support” for the proposed Rugby Champions Cup mooted by England and France next season.

European Rugby Cup (ERC) chief executive Derek McGrath has urged rebellious English and French clubs to return to the negotiating table in an effort to save the Heineken Cup, insisting there is still time to thrash out a new accord to continue the prestigious European club competition.

What looks destined to be the 19th and final Heineken Cup will be launched at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium this morning.

Ireland, Wales, and Scotland have all made clear statements that they will not take part in the new European rugby competition planned by English and French clubs.

Premiership Rugby and its French counterparts have been accused of showing a lack of respect during an increasingly bitter row over the Heineken Cup’s future.

The French Rugby Federation is on a collision course with clubs from the Aviva Premiership and Top 14 as the dispute over the future of the Heineken Cup continued to escalate.

Anglo-French efforts to form a European breakaway competition have stepped up with the confirmation that a new tournament open to Celtic and Italian teams will be established in time for next season.

European Rugby Cup has appointed an independent mediator in their attempts to thrash out a new tournament agreement for the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup competitions.

Premiership Rugby will step up plans to create a new European competition - despite the International Rugby Board declaring they would oppose a format composed exclusively of Anglo-French clubs.

English fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has thrown his support behind the Heineken Cup

The International Rugby Board have entered the dispute over the future of the Heineken Cup by declaring their support for a European tournament.

European Rugby Cup chairman Jean-Pierre Lux has described the ramifications of a proposed Anglo-French tournament as “detrimental” to the world game.

We may well be seeing the last of the Heineken Cup this season.

The group fixtures for this year's Heineken Cup have been announced.

Setanta Sports has announced a new deal with BT Sport which will add 38 live Premier League games to its TV package and bring to 71 the number of top-flight English matches on offer to Irish subscribers for the next three years.

The most expensive tickets for the final of the 2015 Rugby World Cup could cost more than €820.

AT March’s Congress, a central GAA motion calling for teams to be issued to Director General Páraic Duffy for delivery to the media by 12pm four days prior to a Championship game failed to receive the required two-thirds backing by 4%.

The future of the European Heineken Cup may remain up in the air but the tournament continues to be a bonanza for participating countries with revenues distributed to national unions and clubs rising by €1.28m to €45 million last year.

Stade Francais player Jerome Fillol has received a 14-week ban for spitting in Peter Stringer’s face.

Harlequins have launched an investigation after claiming “many” of their supporters sold tickets to rival Munster fans for last Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final at the Twickenham Stoop.

Stade Francais’ Jerome Fillol looks set to become the first professional player to be cited for spitting at an opponent.

European Rugby Cup have confirmed the venues for this season’s Heineken Cup semi-finals.

Harlequins familiar home venue, the Twickenham Stoop, will stage their Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Munster on Sunday, April 7 (2pm).

Saracens are in discussion with Barnet Council over the possibility of staging their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster at their new Allianz Park home.

Northampton captain Dylan Hartley has received a two-week ban after being cited for foul play in a Heineken Cup game.

The Irish Rugby Football Union and the four provinces have admitted their concern and disappointment after the failure of the European Rugby Cup stakeholders to agree a new accord for the Heineken and Amlin Cups at yesterday’s meeting in London.

England forward Dylan Hartley has been cited for alleged foul play during Northampton’s Heineken Cup defeat against Ulster on Friday night.

Wales international Morgan Stoddart has been cleared to continue playing following his sending-off in last weekend’s Heineken Cup clash between the Scarlets and Clermont Auvergne.

The organisers of the Heineken Cup have expressed their surprise at Premiership Rugby’s decision to negotiate their own TV rights deal, but they are still hopeful some kind of compromise can be struck.

After weeks of posturing over the future of the Heineken Cup, European Rugby stakeholders will all meet face to face for the first time in a Dublin hotel today to begin thrashing out a way forward for the continent’s premier club competition.

Matt Stevens has described his England career as an “incredible journey” after retiring from international rugby.