The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), the governing body for domestic rugby in France, has clarified that unless there is a “catastrophic failure in negotiations” it will not consider abandoning the Heineken Cup for a breakaway tournament.

SOMETIMES, even in the most civilised of societies, you just have to let fly with both barrels.

INTERNATIONAL Rugby Board (IRB) chairman, Dr Syd Millar, has described the planned withdrawal of French and English clubs from the Heineken Cup as “absolutely disgraceful and selfish”.