Heineken Cup going nowhere, insists Lewis

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis proclaimed that the Heineken Cup is back on track last night.

The future of the competition had been cast in doubt following a bitter dispute between the English and French clubs and their counterparts from the Celtic nations and Italy over the future of the tournament.

But Lewis reckons a major breakthrough was made in yesterday’s meeting between key stakeholders in Dublin.

He said: “The competition is back on track. At last progress is being made around the European rugby stakeholder table.

“We have agreed to look at this first and foremost from a rugby perspective and to consider what can make the competition even better from that perspective.”

The European stakeholders have agreed to weigh up three potential options for the future of the competition — maintaining the current structure, increasing participants to 32 teams or reducing teams to 20. Having decided on the review, the parties agreed to meet again on December 12, in London.

Lewis added: “Once we have looked at all the benefits of those three options from a rugby perspective we will look at things financially. Obviously there are more detailed discussions that need to take place, but there has been real progress.”

The current accord between the six unions and the English, French and Welsh clubs expires at the end of next season and the competition’s future has been thrown into doubt by the unhappiness of the Top 14 and Premiership clubs in particular.

The English and French proposal is for the Pro12 clubs to qualify for the Heineken Cup on merit — rather than be guaranteed places — and for the money to be divided equally between the three leagues.

The Anglo-French plan would see the Heineken Cup trimmed to 20 teams with four clubs dropping into a strengthened Amlin Challenge Cup. There would also be a third tournament created for clubs in developing nations.

The proposal is underpinned by a television deal with BT, which is worth up to £100million. Premiership Rugby argue all competing nations would be better off under their plan.

The Pro12 clubs currently receive 52% of the income, with the English and French clubs taking 24% each. The Celtic nations and Italy have so far been staunchly opposed to relinquishing their automatic entry into the Heineken Cup, even if they end up earning more money.

Yesterday’s decision to review the competition format would appear to be a small victory for the English and French clubs.

IRFU treasurer Tom Grace has stated that this process is a “significant risk” to the union’s future revenue streams and the Irish side was represented by chief executive Philip Browne and Peter Boyle yesterday.

The Celtic nations’ arguments have been further weakened by the poor performance of Scottish, Italian and even Welsh teams in this year’s tournament. At present, the Pro12 provides 10 automatic qualifiers to the competition, but that could be cut as a result of the changes.

The London meeting will take place in the middle of Rounds three and four of this season’s pool stages and the competition’s popularity is showing no signs of abating with fans.

But its long term future remains up in the air after yesterday’s discussions as the saga runs on for another six weeks.