Ireland may lose H-Cup places, ERC chief admits

Irish provinces have been warned they could lose their automatic Heineken Cup qualification spots as the row over the future of the competition rumbles on.

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.