Top English clubs ponder joining French in Euro boycott

ENGLAND’S top clubs are still considering whether or not to boycott the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions next season.

With a proposed mass French withdrawal from both tournaments appearing set to go ahead, Premier Rugby – umbrella organisation for the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs –are discussing the possibility of following suit.

Such action would bring both events to their knees. The threat comes just 24 hours after a record three English teams – Leicester, Wasps and Northampton – qualified for this season’s Heineken Cup semi-finals.

The Premiership clubs want some of the Rugby Football Union shares in European Rugby Cup Limited, in addition to greater voting rights.

Under an agreement between Premier Rugby and the RFU, England’s top clubs are contracted to play in both major European competitions for the next two seasons.

And any boycott in support of the French is likely to be met with legal action from Twickenham top brass.

French and Italian unions though, have agreed to transfer some of their ERC shares to their clubs.

Concern at the RFU’s refusal to hand over share and voting rights – plus anxiety over fixture congestion next season, which starts with the Rugby World Cup – are behind the militant French stance.

Leicester chief executive Peter Wheeler said: “The unions and clubs of Europe have been unable to persuade the English rugby union to accept a future structure of the competition on which all parties were agreed in principle last year.

“It is vital that the clubs, who are the driving forces of the tournament, have an increased say in the development of it. It is difficult to understand why the Union might be prepared to allow that action to seriously damage what is the foremost club competition in the world.’’

The European issue is just part of a wider picture as the clubs and RFU try desperately to thrash out a workable long-term agreement for the future of elite English rugby. “When a solution is reached, what is of fundamental importance is that everyone must recognise how good the system in England is,” said former Premier Rugby chief executive Howard Thomas, now working as a consultant with the Russian Rugby Union and promoting Moscow’s bid to host the 2009 World Cup Sevens.

“I think it is facile to say a system which was credited with giving England a World Cup-winning performance in 2003 has suddenly lost its way.’’